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UNIVERSAL SPELLING FOR
THE QUECHUA LANGUAGE
MANIFEST
from the COMMISSION ARI
The
Quechuas people have never been consulted and are
waiting for the opportunity
to exercise their right to decide
themselves about the future of their language:
Take over the responsibility and strengthen it.
The Commission ARI considers it an urgent matter to generate
mechanisms and start up processes of consultation, which may bridge
between the State and the Civil Society in order to formulate socially
viable and fundamental legal contracts in a democratic society.
The Mission of ARI
The mission is to guide a democratic process in which the Quechuas as
owners and users of their
language exercise the right to be consulted and make decisions about
their mother tongue.
The birth
The International commission ARI was started as a consequence of the
6th. International Quichua
Congress in Argentina (Santiago of the Estero, 2000) and under auspices
of the Higher Academy of the Quechua Language of Cusco, Peru together
with the Pusaq Organization with the aim of
introducing a convocation to the Quechua authorities from the 6
Q-speaking countries: Argentina,
Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, Chile and Peru, in order to consult them
about the proposal of building a Universal Quechua Dictionary (Correct
spelling).
A first 'Rimanakuy' (congress) was organized in Bolivia (Cochabamba,
October 2002) with
participants from Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru, and the event
has legitimated the leadership of ARI and obligated it to send the next
convocation to ALL the countries and ALL the dialects. The Pusaq
organization is taking care of the administration in order to organize
next 'Rimanakuy'.
The validity of the Runasimi
Quechua - Quichua - Qweshua, etc. with more than 10 million
Q-speaking, is the biggest indigenous language of America, divided in
many dialects, which maintain special spelling and sometimes having
their own alphabet. A language fractionated and without unified spelling
does not have any future in a time with advancement of the computer
science and it holds the risk of disappearing within the next 2
generations.
All through 500 years until now nobody has ever made a unified
dictionary that can assure the valid continuation of the language. It is
necessary with a universal dictionary that respects the
dialectal varieties of the language and with spelling rules for correct
writing. This applies to every
strong and living language in the world.
Educational systems and bilingualism in
the world
Quechua-Quichua-Qweshua, etc. con más de 10 millones de Q-hablantes,
es el idioma
indígena más grande de América, dividido entre muchos dialectos que
mantienen escritura
y su propio alfabeto. El runasimi fraccionado y sin escritura unificada
no tiene futuro con los
avances de la informática y con riesgo de desaparecer en 2 generaciones
más.
En 500 años hasta la fecha no existe un diccionario unificado que
asegure la vigencia del
idioma para la continuidad. Es necesario un diccionario universal que
respete las
variedades dialectales del idioma y con reglas para escribir
correctamente. Eso funciona
para todos los idiomas vigentes en el mundo.
Sistemas Educativos y Bilingüismo en el mundo
• In Switzerland - with 4 national languages - the education
is carried out in maternal language
until the 13th year. After the pupil has developed his abilities,
understanding of reading and
completion of basic education, he is ready to begin a bilingual
education. The foreign
language is introduced after the basic education.
• In the Basque Country - a part of Spain - the Euskera is the official
language of the schools,
institutes and universities, maintaining written press, radio and
television in their own
language. Spanish is introduced with progressive bilingual programs,
after the 14th year.
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Alfabeto Runasimi Inka |
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Bilingual education and
cultural identity.
In the Andean countries, the State has introduced bilingual and
inter-cultural programs for emergency reasons behind the back of the
owners and users of the language (not sharing the responsibility), who
are being used as objects and not subjects for the education, which is
affecting their cultural identity.
These programs have a clear tendency to be transformed into Spanish by
using literary Quechua texts that only apply to the first classes of the
school. We do not find books on biology, history or geography in their
mother tongue. Thus, the pupils will finish their final education in the
Spanish language and we shall have lost the brilliant opportunity of
creating a Quechua leader.
As a consequence there exist in the Andean world a direct relationship
between indigenous identity and marginalized individuals (kept on a
social margin), illiteracy, informality, unemployment and extreme
poverty.
Consultation and self-determination of
the Quechua people.
This right is manifested in the Agreement 169 of the ILO - but the
power to exercise the autonomy of it has not been given - it has to be
conquered!
Organization is the key point in order to achieve results. The strength
of a people is the group.
It must be remembered that the INKAS built up a big civilization - by
means of a solid organization. Without money or technical support of any
kind.
The duty of all human beings is to leave the world a little bit better
than he received it, and the
inheritance we could leave the Quechuas, would be that the children of
the schools of Argentina,
Bolivia, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador and Peru can share the same texts in
Quechua. That the youth can graduate as medicals, professors, nurses,
lawyers etc. in Quechua. That there are generated space for art, science
and technology with radio, television and newspapers in Quechua - the
inheritance of our honorary ancestors.
RIMANAKUY 2005 Autonomy and genuineness.
'Runasimikuna', (Ladies and gentlemen) participate in this
convocation and help your leaders to
contribute with ideas and proposals for the next RIMANAKUY of the
Quechua Ayllus (clans)
planned to be carried out at Inti Raymi 2005 (solstice) the 21st of
June, in the Island of the Sun in
Bolivia, the cradle of the Inka civilization.
Participation allowance for:
Any authority, civilian, political or religious representative from
each dialectal Quechua family is invited and have to reach Bolivia on
their own account. As leader and representative of a Quechua people that
will act with autonomy and unquestionable legitimacy they have to
demonstrate interest in their mother tongue by participating without any
pressure or any payment. On the Island will be offered lodging and food
for all the participants.
ARI takes the responsibility for creating conditions of space, reception
and managing facilities for the success of the event, but once the
assembly is installed ARI will change to an observer role. The decision
is for the Quechuas to make.
We have one year to organize our Ayllus (clans) and assume the great
challenge. We are calling for the Quechuas for them together to take the
leadership of their own destination by their ability to present
initiatives, develop intelligent plans - and get ready.
| ARI commission
agents |
Klaus Lynge -
President |
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Jesús Tovar - Coordinator |
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Dina Cárdenas -
Executive Secretary |
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