Xincan languages & Canadian Mining Companies

Guatemala is a well-known home for nearly two dozen Mayan languages, but the Xincan (Xinkan) languages also live here as part of the Mesoamerican languages. There are at least four Xincan languages - with no demonstrated affiliations to other language families! They are considered sleeping languages, but with a growing number of semi-speakers. A 2002 census showed 1,283 people reporting as being Xinka speakers, although as semi-speakers with limited vocabulary.

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Watch a short and really well-done video of a linguist in 2008 learning from the last native speaker of Guazacapán Xinkan:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGVFYJ7utCQ

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Today, Guazacapán Xinkan is being slowly revitalized as a second language. Learn more with an article from last year that talks of lobbying education systems for language resources and government for a Guazacapán Xinkan revival:

Guatemala and rebirth of a language: Youth in the vanguard of reviving native Xinkan culture – The Irish Times

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If you’re wanting some music, it seems a fundamental part of the Xinkan culture. Get a taste of the style with Concepción García, an Xinka Elder using music to not only transmit language but “highlighting cultural elements such as corn, beans, rain, sun, and birds”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=RDBKOZR-EjZbE&v=BKOZR-EjZbE

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Finally, this language was picked for an important reason and one that matches an Earth Day activity for any Canadians out there.

Escobal mine is a Canadian owned company operating the world’s second largest silver mine in Xinca territory. There have been protests against it for its environmental damage and interference in land sovereignty rights since 2009. Water pollution and health defects are detected, and there has been violence towards locals to maintain this mine in forms of kidnappings, threats, arrests, and shootings. Polling found “95% of residents in surrounding communities opposed the Escobal mine”. It's already had its license suspended before for failing to adequately consult with Xinca communities. The leadership here flatly denies the existence of the Xinca, even releasing radio spots claiming "the Xinca people do not exist." There are subsidiaries, but this mine was developed by Canadian mining company Tahoe Resources and these actions happening to the Xinca come attached with Canadian representation.

“Forty percent of mining companies in Latin America are based in Canada, constituting over 1,500 separate projects”

Please take a moment to sign this petition which expires on April 23rd. It’s going right to the Canadian government asking that Canada reaffirm Xinca rights, protect Indigenous rights to prior informed consent, and stop Canadian mining companies from violating these rights and our shared earth.

Petition e-7299 - Petitions

** Information was found by searching online resources, inaccuracies are possible.

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Please share if you have a green issue you want to highlight for Earth week!