español
The strength lies in unity when it comes to preserving a mother tongue. In the native community of Callería, in the Ucayali province of Coronel Portillo, the Iskonawa School has been taking shape since 2013, a project whose main objective is to transmit language and culture to the younger generations and thus prevent its extinction.
"This language is above all an inheritance and a pillar of the Iskonawa people's identity, which deserves to be preserved and enhanced," says Dr. Roberto Zariquiey, director of the Master's Program in Linguistics at PUCP and leader of the school project. Thanks to the openness of the Organization for the Development and Common Good of the Iskonawa People (Odebpi), Zariquiey comments that the school is a reality and is part of the Iskonawa people's political agenda. "It's the dream come true of several of its members," he adds.
How did it all start? The story begins when Odebpi and some allies started documenting the Iskonawa language through a project with Tufts University. Along the way, specialists developed a grammar, a dictionary, and a compilation of oral tradition. These materials supported others for language revitalization.
"It was when the Ministry of Education began the process of designing the Iskonawa alphabet that the people themselves decided to work on it," says Dr. Zariquiey. Moved, the professor recounts how he saw the elders teaching their language to their grandchildren. In addition to supporting this project through negotiations, the teacher teaches classes to the children who attend the school. "The goal is for it to grow. Willian Ochavano will be the first bilingual intercultural teacher of the Iskonawa people, and we hope that he can take the lead in coordination," he says.
Using pedagogical techniques, through play, art, music, and technology, they teach children words and phrases in the language of their grandparents. The Iskonawa people have between 120 and 130 citizens. Everyone is excited, especially the parents of the 25 children and teenagers who are directly benefited by this initiative. In addition to learning elements of their ancestral language, they also learn about art, writing, music, and mathematics.
"The message is very powerful; Iskonawa is a full language and should not disappear. We hope to bring PUCP students to the school. There are already several students who have written articles and theses thanks to the generosity of this people," expresses Dr. Zariquiey.
A request from the wise: Filled with hope at seeing the fruits of this initiative, the linguist points out that the wise people of this community are asking for support from the authorities so that this project gains more strength and continues to grow. "What we want is to institutionalize the school. At the moment, we are executing this initiative personally thanks to the support of the committed actors. The difficulty is that funds are scarce and almost nonexistent," he explains.
Chana Project at the Iskonawa School: The school uses technological tools and dynamics developed by the Chana Project. This is a research collective led by Dr. Roberto Zariquiey, and they have just inaugurated, with their international allies, a field station in the Amazon, an area of high linguistic diversity.
"All the technological component has to do with Chana, and we are working on more things. The Chana scientific station in Pucallpa will also play an important role in providing scientific support to this social initiative," he says.
Now they are preparing for the second teaching session at the Iskonawa School, which will take place on July 19 and 20 in the community of Callería.