The Language of Memory

Abstract

Cultural erasure is the gradual removal of various traditions and customs from society. One of the unfortunate casualties of this erasure is of language, in particular Indigenous languages. Of all the languages that exist throughout the world today, the vast majority are those of the Indigenous peoples. Many of them have withstood the test of time, and continue to live on through war and migration — representing one of the few remaining familial links that some of us have to our ancestry.

Mixtec, an Indigenous language that originates from the southern region of what is now considered Mexico, is my family’s heritage language. As they migrated out of their small community in Oaxaca, Mexico, the dominant language (Spanish) gradually took over, resulting in less frequent use of Mixtec. Such factors have led to its inevitable erasure within my immediate family, as Mixtec only resurfaces when speaking to my grandfather in Mexico over the phone. The Language of Memory is a virtual, interactive storytelling piece that brings attention to the complexities of reconnecting with a lost heritage and culture. This experience takes the visitor through audio accounts from Indigenous members of the Mexican Diaspora who are on the brink of forgetting their Indigenous language, Mixtec. My intention for this project is to resonate and connect with others with similar experiences, and encourage them to reach out to their elders and each other to learn and share their family stories, songs, and rituals.