A festival in Zapopan that wraps up this weekend coincides with International Mother Language Day, a worldwide annual observance to promote awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity that was marked on Wednesday, February 21.
Artistic, musical and crafts activities in the Festival de las Lenguas Maternas are scheduled daily from February 21 through Sunday, February 25 in the Plaza de las Américas (Juan Pablo II) in the historic center of Zapopan. Various talks and round-table discussions on indigenous themes are planned at different venues during the festival.
Isaura Matilde García Hernández, head of the Jalisco government’s Indigenous Commission, said that “our colonial thinking makes us believe that languages are not valid. There is a historical denial of the knowledge and linguistic and cultural diversity of indigenous peoples.”
The theme for International Mother Language Day 2024 was “Multilingual Education is a Pillar of Intergenerational Learning,” emphasizing the vital role of languages in fostering inclusive education and preserving indigenous languages.
Said García Hernández: “According to the Institute of Statistical and Geographic Information of Jalisco (IIEG), there are 66,963 people aged three years and older who speak an indigenous language. But if we compare it with the data showing that 557,864 people belong to an indigenous community, we can see that very few speak an indigenous language.”
Music and dance presentations start in Zapopan’s main plaza on Saturday and Sunday, February 24 and 25 at 4 p.m. and all feature indigenous performers, including Wixarika groups from Jalisco and Nayarit.