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Ashéninka Professor Luzmila Casique Coronado (second from right) with students on the Bilingual Educators Program at UCSS-NOPOKI, December 2023

Juan Ruben Ruiz Zevallos presenting the bilingual language grammar guide to UCSS-NOPOKI, December 2023

Juan Ruben Ruiz Zevallos and Dr Evan Killick at the School of Global Studies, Summer 2023

Today, we celebrate the University of Sussex’s continued collaboration with the intercultural university UCSS-NOPOKI in Peru, in their efforts to raise awareness of and preserve indigenous languages and cultures in Peruvian Amazonia.

Every year, 21 February marks International Mother Language Day, highlighting “the importance of cultural and linguistic diversity, and multilingualism for peaceful and sustainable societies” (UNESCO). Aligned with this year’s theme of "Multilingual education, a crucial pillar of learning and intergenerational learning”, the Sussex Sustainability Research Programme (SSRP) is spotlighting the collaborative efforts between UCSS-NOPOKI, Intercultural Association of Atalaya, SHARE-Amazónica and Sussex researchers in supporting the protection and official recognition of a Peruvian Amazonian language, Ashéninka.

Only in 2019, the Peruvian government officially recognised Ashéninka, a variant spoken by around 11,000 people in the Gran Pajonal region of Peru, as the country’s 48^th language. SSRP Visiting Fellow Mr Juan Ruben Ruiz Zevallos (coordinator of UCSS-NOPOKI bilingual teacher training programme at the time) and SSRP Fellow Dr Evan Killick (Reader in Anthropology and International Development, University of Sussex) and their partners contributed to this significant milestone through action-oriented research, intercultural workshops as well as teaching and learning initiatives.

More recently, they used University of Sussex funding to spearhead the production and dissemination of an Ashéninka Language Grammar Guide ("Guía teórica del idioma Ashéninka”). Through this initiative, bilingual Ashéninka teachers are now better supported during their training and teaching while Ashéninka children can now be better taught in their native language, facilitated by the availability of educational materials specifically tailored to the Ashéninka language.

The comprehensive guide not only offers a theoretical framework for the Ashéninka language but also serves as a practical resource for educators, offering insights and strategies for effective language instruction. By creating a more inclusive and culturally rich learning environment for Ashéninka students, the guide contributes to the preservation and revitalisation of the language.

The guidebook’s release was recently celebrated during the Graduation of Bilingual Teachers from UCSS-NOPOKI in Atalaya, Peru. The Graduation Ceremony served as a platform to acknowledge the dedication of these teachers who play an essential role in passing down indigenous languages, cultures and knowledge systems to future generations.

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