Language Diversity and Indigenous Literacy in the Andes

Abstract

The Andes stretch out along the entire South American continent. The Andean space, as traditionally referred to in social studies, especially in relation to languages and cultures present there before the conquerors arrived, is restricted to the Incan Empire’s sphere of influence (Cerrón-Palomino (Revista Andina 3:509–572, 1985)). Therefore, we herein refer to the region that spreads out from the south of Colombia to the north of Argentina and Chile and includes the coastal area, mountain range fringes, and the regions of high plateaus.

Our bibliographical review of literacy is limited to Andean languages that have managed to survive Spanish language rule, which seeks to maintain certain functional spaces in national societies. A commonly accepted notion is that indigenous languages had some sort of graphic or notational, albeit not alphabetical, system. They are then called illiterate; thus typified, this deficit could be hindering the acknowledgment of different writings, like textile writing or “other forms of textual expression and graphic representation” (López, L. E. (2001). Literacy and intercultural bilingual education in the Andes. In D. Olson & N. Torrance (Eds.), The making of literate societies (pp. 201–224). Oxford: Blackwell.).

Their speakers increasingly hoist Andean languages as symbols of ethnic and political vindication (Sichra, I. (2005). Trascendiendo o fortaleciendo el valor emblemático del quechua: identidad de la lengua en la ciudad de Cochabamba. In S. Coronel-Molina & L. Grabner-Coronel (Eds.), Lenguas e identidades en los Andes: perspectivas ideológicas y culturales (pp. 211–250). Quito: Abya Yala.) in an attempt to secure prestigious and public spheres for these languages (King, K. (1997). Indigenous politics and native language literacies: Recent shifts in bilingual education policy and practice in Ecuador. In N. Hornberger (Ed.), Indigenous literacies in the Americas. Language planning from the bottom up (pp. 267–283). Berlin/New York: Mouton de Gruyter.; López, L. E. (2001). Literacy and intercultural bilingual education in the Andes. In D. Olson & N. Torrance (Eds.), The making of literate societies (pp. 201–224). Oxford: Blackwell.). From this perspective, literacy acquires or could acquire a driving role in the social participation of sectors traditionally marginalized by these countries’ societies, i.e., it could be an empowerment mechanism for the individual, the community, and the group (Hornberger, N. (1997). Quechua literacy and empowerment in Peru. In N. Hornberger (Ed.), Indigenous literacies in the Americas. Language planning from the bottom up (pp. 3–16). Berlin/New York: Mouton de Gruyter.). Consequently, this chapter focuses on the literacy of languages characterized by their orality and seeks to contribute this volume on Language and Education, with a focus on Spanish literacy. As for the notion of literacy, we adhere to the ideological model (Street, B. (1984). Literacy in theory and practice. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.) in which literacy comprises concrete social practices with certain purposes that depend on previous political and ideological factors. Learned events, that is, activities in which literacy plays a social role, can help us observe said practices (Barton, D., & Hamilton, M. (1998). Local literacies. Reading and writing in one community. London: Routledge.).