AFROCARIBBEAN AND INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES
WRITTERS CONTINENTAL MEETING
October 2000
During October 13, 14, and 15th, Quintana Roo became the center of attraction for people interested in Afro Caribbean and Indigenous languages, an interesting and intense
Program started on Friday 13th .
One of the American Continent characteristics is the Ethnic diversity, expressed through over 500 living native languages.
Paraguay is the only country in the Continent, which has the Guaraní, a Native Language, as "Official" besides Spanish.
Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru and Guatemala are the countries, which have a large indigenous population. In México, besides the Castellan, 62 more languages are spoken.
The Mayan Language, hostess of the Second Afro Caribbean and Indigenous Languages Writers Continental Meeting, presents 30 variations, from which, the oral tradition is being written in 18 languages, including chronicles, poetry, stories and others.
In 1993 the Indigenous Writers Association was created, since then they have been organizing different continental literary meetings. Several workshops took place, in 1995 in Tlaxcala México, 1997 in Temuco, Chile, in 1998, Bilwi, Nicaragua.
1997 was the year of the First Continental Meeting at Ayacucho, Venezuela, in which a Maya, a Mapuche, an Arahuaco, and a Garifona, where the Directors, it was during this meeting where they agreed to meet again the year 2000 in México.
This Second Continental Meeting happens during the celebration of the 150 years from the foundation of Chan Santa Cruz, which played a very important roll during the Caste War, this was the closest time the Maya people almost got back the land they originally owned, today the town is known as Felipe Carrillo Puerto.
Some of the participant languages were:
Garífuna from Belize
Aymara, Bolivia
Yanacona y Wallúu, Colombia
Mapuche, Chile
Kichua, Ecuador
Kíché, Q’anjobal and Jacalteco, Guatemala
Creol, Nicaragua
Guaraní, Paraguay
Quechua, Perú
Nimipú, USA.
Bari, Venezuela
Several Indigenous Languages from México ale were present:
Yucatek Maya from Quintana Roo, Campeche and Yucatan
Yokotán, from Tabasco.
Tének, San Luis Potosí
Tzotzil, Tojolabal, Tzetzal, Chiapas
Zapoteco, Mazateco and Mixteco, Oaxaca
Náhuatl, Veracruz
Totonaca, Puebla
Rarámuri, Chihuahua
Ñahñú y Mazahua, Estado de México
Huichol, Jalisco
Purépecha, Michoacán
Yaqui, Sonora.
The millenary voices from America have in this second Afro Caribbean and
Indigenous Languages Writers Continental Meeting, a space for expression of the
ancient word.
The inauguration of the meeting was on Friday morning, I had started working for
the Press Staff the day before, and during the following days too, so, I had no
chance to see the whole program, I had to be ready to move, to take them
wherever necessary, so I was very busy that morning, but still had a few minutes
to see some of the celebration.
It was interesting to see a group of Maya people from Quintana Roo seated in first row during the opening, as well as some musicians from "Señor", a Maya community near Felipe Carrillo Puerto, performing some of their music, with two drums of different size and a violin, this trio perform during the community celebrations.
More music was presented from the U.S.A. in the voice of Dra. Inés Hernandez accompanied by a hand drum, which original name I don’t know, she did a "Chant of Victory" in NIMIPÚ Language.
This day there was a trip to Kohunlich scheduled at 1:00 p.m. that was cancelled, due to the rains, there was another program, scheduled at 8:00 pm. On an open theatre, but also was cancelled due to the rain.
me
to the microphone to talk in their languages, it sounded beautiful, being at the
main Plaza, next to a ruined church, which, by the way was getting a lot of
light from the partly opened sky, this was one of the few moments I had the
chance to see what was going on with the Meeting and I enjoyed it.
There was a visit to the local Museum, lunch and then we had to go back to Felipe Carrillo Puerto.
In the afternoon, poetry and music in different languages was heard in the Casa de la Cultura, the town became very alive; it was good that the rains had stopped. While I was waiting outside the Cultural Center, some of the Maya Leaders were arriving to the Meeting; I had taken a book along, which was given to me by an American friend, "Painting the Maya Universe. Royal Ceramics of the Classic Period" with a collection of Roll out photographs of Maya Ceramics taken by Justin Kerr, so, I took my book from the Suburban and showed it to several of the Maya Chiefs, we all wanted to have much more time to see all the images calmly, unfortunately, at that moment there was not very much time, but, as they were leaving me, one of them came back and asked if the book was for sale, my answer was "no", because I got it as a present. Later I had the chance to talk to the guys who were broadcasting alive for Radio Chan Santa Cruz, "The Voice of a Great People", who by the way promised me some of the music performed during this festivity, they know all of this people, so, when I have a chance to get another copy of that book, I’ll find some time to get in touch and give them the book. I understand that they meet every month and perform a ceremony in the old Shrine of the Cruz Parlante, but the most interesting of this is to go back from time to time and see if they find, or see anything of their interest today in the drawings made more that one thousand years ago.
That night we left to Cancún, some of the reporters had to be there very early, so instead of sleeping in Carrillo Puerto, we ended that night in Cancún, were the program had to continue the next day.
That was the easiest and more relaxed of the days, we had to start at 8:00 am. and the trips to the Cancún Cultural Center and back to the Hotel, although there were many, it was a short distance.
Later in the afternoon they released a statement which contain the 12 conclusions reached during this meeting:
THE CANCUN DECLARATION
"The Afro Caribbean and Indigenous Languages Writers of America, gathered in the Maya Land at Cancún, Quintana Roo, México, which started on October 12th, day of the dignity and resistance of the American Indigenous Peoples, (list of participant Countries and languages), assuming the value of the word we represent have come to the following conclusions:
1. - That the Afro Caribbean and Indigenous Writers of America search for mechanisms of resistance with all National and International entities, which lead to the creation of policies for Integral Development and the defense of the historical and cultural rights of our peoples.
2. - To use the Scientific and Technologic Advantages (such as the creation of a Web site) without the implication of resigning to our identities.
3. -To fight for the recognition and oficialization of the Afro Caribbean and Indigenous Languages of America.
4. - To link with all National and International entities to full fill the objectives proposed by the Afro Caribbean and Indigenous Languages Writers of America.
5. - To promote the development of all genders of Afro Caribbean and Indigenous literature.
6. - To make the Delegates commit to create associations, in their respective countries.
7. - To promote meetings with the Honorable Congreso de la Unión (Méxican Congress) to land the approval of a Law in Linguistic Rights.
8. - To follow up to the agreements taken here.
9. - Promote Meetings between Indigenous and Non Indigenous Writers.
10. - To take steps for the creation of the "Afro Caribbean and Indigenous Languages Writers Home"
11. - Fight for the "San Andrés" agreements to fulfill.
12. - We urge the American Governments for respect to our Sacred Ceremonial Centers, as well as respect for the biodiversity."
The meeting was officially closed that night and the participants went home the following day.
Luis Téllez.