A forum titled “Auka! Dialogue between knowledges: Yuman speakers and linguists” was held on September 29-20 in Baja California, Mexico. The article returns on the event and thus on the Yuman language family, with all its languages considered as critically endangered.

The Yuman languages are both the least known in Mexico and the most endangered: the last census mentioned 583 speakers, a figure constantly dropping as most of these speakers are over 40 years old.

Over two days the forum gathered federal, regional, and municipal officials whose task is to preserve the intangible heritage of the country, linguists, anthropologists, and nearly a hundred speakers of one Yuman language or another.

Also attending the forum were representatives of Yuman culture from southern USA – the boarder between Mexico and USA running across the original territory of the Yuman population. The problems there are the same: speakers have gradually given up their language in favor of English.

According to the article in Noticieros Televisa, these two days have been rich with intense discussion where the speakers of Yuman got the chance to explain to linguists and the authorities the issues they face in trying to maintain their languages. Everyone attending pledged to embark on safeguarding the 4 remaining Yuman languages from Baja California: Kumiai, Paipai, Cucapa, and Kiliwa.

Full article available here (Spanish).

Yuman language family description sheet

Kumiai language description sheet (Spanish)

Cucapa language description sheet (Spanish)

Kiliwa language description sheet (Spanish)