Noticias
At the Colegio Nacional
"Indigenous languages must be considered as part of the patrimony of humanity”: Eduardo Matos Moctezuma·
February 22, 2017The archaeologist Eduardo Matos Moctezuma, said in his lecture, Indigenous languages as intangible cultural heritage, that not only these ones but also the archaeological areas and colonial monuments of the country, must be considered as part of the patrimony of humanity.
The specialist stressed that mother tongues are part of our legacy and that we all have to look after them because many of the 68 language variations existing in Mexico are threatened and many of them, about to disappear.
During his participation on February 21st in the National Meeting of Experiences of Language Development, held at the Colegio Nacional, he reminded that Mexico is recognized worldwide for its culture, which will not end unlike oil.
Therefore, he said, we are facing a unique opportunity to become aware of what our culture represents. It is a fundamental part of ourselves, which characterizes us as a nation and we receive it as a legacy that we must give as such to future generations, as it is the heritage of Mexico´s people.
"It would be important, interesting, to see, to make the arrangements, to find out how the situation would be for indigenous languages, as well as for archaeological sites and colonial monuments to be considered because Mexico is the country that practically heads the declarations of UNESCO in America as Patrimony of Humanity. Then, I think we should consider this matter”.
He pointed out that Mexico's cultural heritage "is what characterizes us as Mexicans, our vestiges of the pre-Hispanic, colonial and historical past, all that the previous generations left us and which are a substantial part of our history. Also, the traditions and legends, what we eat and the way of speaking, the indigenous languages and the Spanish”.
The specialist, Emeritus Researcher of the National Institute of Anthropology and History and National Prize for Science and Arts, warned that mother tongues are part of how much Mexico has given the world.
Y es que por ejemplo, hay muchos términos y palabras, nahuatlismos y mayismos, que ya son utilizados en todas partes, como chocolate, tianguis, tomate, chile, mole, aguacate, hule, petaca y hasta mariachi.
For example, there are many terms and words, nahuatlismos and mayismos, used already everywhere, like: chocolate, tianguis, tomate, chile, mole, aguacate, hule, petaca and even mariachi.
Eduardo Matos Moctezuma also considered that it is necessary to promote bilingual education, in a multicultural country like ours and as established in Article 2 of the Mexican Constitution.
"I think it is another element that must be added to all this cultural background, to carry out a real bilingual education in the regions wherever possible". As well as Spanish or English are taught, the native language of the area should be taught too, in order to fulfill the constitutional mandate.
Mexico,Distrito Federal
