La Revitalización del Mapuzugun a través del Proyecto Mapuzuguletuaiñ Wallmapu Mew

Mapuche Language Revitalization through the Mapuzuguletuaiñ Wallmapu Mew Project

Abstract

The teaching of Mapuzugun is a relatively new subject at the level of language teaching. Given the condition of Mapuzugun, as a minorized language by Spanish, and without specialists from the methodological point of view, isolated efforts are made from traditional educators in basic schools where the subject of indigenous language is taught, to organizations and Universities that  seek in some ways to revover the use of the mapuche language. The Instituto Nacional de la Lengua Mapuche, Mapuzuguletuaiñ was formally established in 2017 as a non-profit organization having as central project the revitalization and promotion of the Mapuzugun. Having the Mapuzugun as a central engine, this organization seeks tools that are effective and current in language teaching and also looking at successful experiences in revitalizing languages at risk of disappearing. Several have been the strategies used throughout the short life of this institute, but always considering that languages are the maximum expression in each culture and their purpose is none other than communication. These and other aspects related to the experience of teaching a minorized language will be described in this article.