Countries:
Bolivia
Topics:
Indigenous

Bloggings by boz links to a report from today's Washington Post reporting that “Bolivian President Morales' government is making a major push to teach students Quechua and Aymara, Bolivia's two main native languages.” If you'd like to learn a little Quechua why not start with this lesson [ES] on bringing in the new year with a collection of popular sayings.

2 comments

  • mcentellas

    Part of the problem (and controversy) is that Evo’s government isn’t making a “push” to teach indigenous languages (after all, it was the first Sanchez de Lozada administration that ensured full parity to indigenous-language education). But rather that he’s “forcing” people to learn languages. It’s the forcing part that riles many, particularly the mestizo populations of the Amazonic eastern lowlands. And, ironically, forcing one’s language on others is a recognized form of cultural imperialism.

    # 2007-01-31 at 9:00 am
    Reply to this
  • DerHistorian

    The ‘Tawantinsuyo’ [the 'Inca Empire'] was never fully destroyed and includes large sections of Bolivia and Peru. The Aymara Nation and Quechua Nation are part of the ‘Tawantinsuyo’.
    Language parity is fine, but most Bolivian Mestizos and Hispanics are so racist as to believe the language of the ‘Tawantinsuyo’ to be lowly and not worth the time to learn.
    Maybe Morales is practicing “cultural imperialism” but how else to make sure that the Bolivian people are united? If Bolivians are taught, even forcefully taught, Quechua/Aymara language, then it is all the better to unite their peoples.
    Spanish is the international language, but Quechua/Aymara are Bolivias national languages.

    # 2007-04-7 at 15:30 pm
    Reply to this

Join the Conversation

Authors, please log in »

Guidelines

  • All comments are moderated. Do not submit your comment more than once or it may be identified as spam.
  • Please treat others with respect. Comments containing hate speech, obscenity, and personal attacks will not be approved.