Endangered Language

Fund: Language
Legacies
Mopn Language
Revitalization
UNESCO
Mayan Language
Center
Luis Joaquin
Viniegra

Outline
To give insight into the Mayan Indigenous Peoples and relay
the importance of the fund while explaining key factors of
the Language Legacies Fund that will be implemented.

Contents
History of the Maya
The Mayan Language

Grant Overview
Problem Statement
Project Details/Focal Point
Short Term/Long Term Goals
Grant Project Time Table
Financial Budget
Grant Acceptance/Tribal Resolution

Mayan History

The Mayan people have been

around since 300 AD
Long before the Colonial and
Conquests came around.
Mainly Found in Central
America in Countries such as
Mexico, Guatemala, and
Honduras.
Huge Populations in Cities
such as Chiapas, Mexico and
Guatemala City, Guatemala.
There are currently an
estimated 6 Million Mayan

The Mayan Language

Lots of the language was both equally spoken
and written.
During the conquest of the the Maya, many
conquistadors and colonial characters
destroyed much of the written codexes and
the few that are around give little to the
culture. Thus changing it to a language and
oral based culture.
There are more than 21 recognized languages
that derive from the original or Proto-Mayan
Languages that exist today.
Mopan is spoken by only 10,000 Mayan peoples.

The Mayan Language

(Continued)
English
One (Un)
Two (Deux)
Three (Trois)
Man (Homme)
Woman (Femme)
Dog (Chien)
Sun (Soleil)
Moon (Lune)
Water (Eau)

Mopan words
Juntuul
Ca'tuul
'Oxtuul
Winik
Ixch'up
Pek'
K'in
Uj
Ja'

Grant Introduction
As part of the Mayan Language Institute, the
Mission is to preserve the languages by
teaching to those who are willing to learn.
The Language Legacies Fund is under the
Endangered Language Fund and is a
worldwide oppurtunity to provide financially
in the preservation of endangered languages.

Problem Statement
Today there is a
mass extinction
and loss of Mayan
culture due to
languages dying
off. One of those
languages is
called Mopn.
Mopn is slowly
disappearing in
the Guatemala
City, and Belize

Grant Focal Points/Goals

The Grant will Focus on developing a
curriculum for younger Indeginous
speakers to learn and maintain the
Language and culture.
Through the teaching of youth the
language will be revitalized and
preserved for future generations of
Mayan youth.
Incorporation of a Mopan language
curriculum with the public schools
Expand the oral knowledge to benefit
the sustainability of the Mayan tribe.

Short Term Goals

In The Short Term it is to start an indeginous
community based curriculum that will be
added as part of the curriculum.
Asses and ask elders and speakers to
participate in the teaching.
Maintain traditional styles of teaching by
consulting the elders and having the elders
come in and give lessons.

Long Term Goals

To create a school that will be run by
the tribe and tought in the traditional
ways of the tribe.
Not be limited to just the tribe
children, though open to all children in
and out of the tribe.
Have most of the staff be elders and
knowledge holders on campus to
teach the students.
Sustain Mopan for many generations
to come.

Short Term Goals

In The Short Term it is to start an indeginous
community based curriculum that will be
added as part of the curriculum.
Asses and ask elders and speakers to
participate in the teaching.
Maintain traditional styles of teaching by
consulting the elders and having the elders
come in and give lessons.

Time Table
Activity

Jan

Feb

Mar Apr

May Jun

Jul

Aug

Sept Oct

Nov Dec

Hire and Train Staff

Recruit Elders

Recruit Planning Committee Staff

Planning Committee Meetings

1
2

3
4

5
6

Curriculum Design and Development

Grant Development and Submission

1st
Draft

Process Evaluation Through Meeting Minutes

and Monthly reports by staff
Final Reports to UNESCO and Mayan Language
Institute

2nd
X Draft Submission

Budget
CashRequired

InKindContributions

TotalBudget

Revenue
Foundations

4,000

4,000

Government

Corporations

Individual Contributions

Donated Supplies

Other Specify:
TotalRevenue

4,000

Expenses
Salaries (Prorated if less than full time)
Elder Instructors

400

On Hand Staff

400

Program Manager/Executive Director

500

Interpretors

300

200

200

200

4,200

Grant Acceptance:
Tribal Council Resolution
A Resolution of the Mayan Tribal Council to accept a
native indigenous curriculum being added in public
schools.
Whereas, the Mayan Peoples in partnership with the
Mayan Language Center and UNESCO establish
sovereignty since the tribe can recall. As being the
first peoples in their land, thus being the fosterers
and guardians of their land that their culture is
derived from and;
Whereas, the Mayan council having the power to act
as a government of the Mayan Peoples, act on the
Mayan peoples behalf as authorized by the Nation of
Guatemala to preserve and build the culture, protect
the language, maintain order, and to sustain living
and non-living resources of the homeland which the

Grant Acceptance:
Tribal Council Resolution (Continued)
Whereas the Mayan Council is responsible in preserving
all the interests and culture through the lifespan of
all current and future tribal members through the
adoption of ordinances, consensus of resolutions,
negotiations of government to government
agreements, the study of developmental techniques,
may affect the future resiliency and language of the
tribe which is what the tribe is born from, and;
Whereas, the main goal of the tribe is to preserve the
culture by counter acting the loss of the language.
Which not only may affect the Mayan Peoples culture
to survive, but a loss to others who benefit from the
knowledge the tribe has gathered, and;
Whereas, the tribe is aware of the slow deprivation of
Mopn has become a critical issue to the liveliness of

Grant Acceptance:
Tribal Council Resolution (Continued)

Whereas, Mopn is currently listed as a number 3, on a 1 to 5

scale, by UNESCO which makes Mopn a severely endangered
language. In a 2002 National Census in Guatemala there were only
2,455 native speakers of Mopn. Thats how many are left in the
world in Guatemala. Since then that number has only dwindled.
Now, Therefore, Let It Be Resolved, that we the Mayan Council
enact this resolution will adhere of efforts being made to preserve
the Tribe language become policy. That Mopn be allowed to be
taught outside the reservation and that the council and affiliates
and the people will do all within their power to preserve the tribe
culture through the language and;
Be it further resolved, that the tribe create times of study
specifically to learn Mopn and have a tribal wide requirement of
fluency of the language for children that this tribal council will
hereby follow to uphold in the benefit of the tribe. Where upon
traditional adult hood, one should be 90%-100% fluent in the
native language and;

Conclusion
The Mayan race once vast and technologically
advanced in its time should remember its roots. By
preserving Mopan, the language is just not the only
objective but the culture. To build and sustain a
peoples and save them one tribe at a time through
education of the native tongue does not only impact
a community. But impacts the world. One Tribe
should not go silent, for if it does, the world loses a
library of knowledge.

Dios botik!
(Thank You)
I would thank all for the contributions and the
cooperation from UNESCO and the Mayan Language
Institute. Also thanks to the Endangered Language
Fund.

Sources
Mopan Sorosoro."Mopan Sorosoro. N.p., n.d.
Web. 02 Dec. 2014.
"Mopan Mayan Language."South & Central America.
N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Dec. 2014.
"Tulane University."Mayan Language Institute in
Guatemala // Roger Thayer Stone Center For Latin
American Studies at. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Dec. 2014.
http://www.unesco.org/culture/languagesatlas/en/atlasmap/language-id-1823.html