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Lost Languages

Each article is a seed — learn, feel, respond and let these words move something inside you.

Today, the South American continent is home to an estimated 400-500 languages. Most of them being Indigenous tribal languages. However, it is estimated, at the time of European contact there may have been over 1500 different Indigenous languages. Quite a gap from today's estimate.

In Peru alone, there are 55 recognized tribes with over 47 different languages. Each of these tribes hold sacred knowledge and traditions that have been curated over thousands of years. In a modern world, the sustainment of these traditions has become increasingly difficult.

The people

Like many other South American Tribes, the people of the Shipibo tribe have been pushed out of their Indigenous lands, forced to live in the city and change their way of life. People of the younger generations, who are trying to go to school in the city or get a job there, have felt resistance in speaking their native language. Sometimes even ashamed in speaking it because it has kept them from achieving these things.

With these factors and pushback for living their way of life, their native language becomes harder to sustain and is in danger of being lost.

The issue

Bero Netebo aims to safeguard Indigenous languages like Shipibo before they become lost like other Indigenous languages.

We are actively collecting the data, music, and vocabulary, from our Tribal ancestors in the hopes to sustain them. We would love to share, teach, and practice these important languages in the Bero Netebo learning center. Creating a space for teaching and sharing languages that are a fundamental part of Tribal culture and way of life. A physical place to see the continuation of tradition through the respect of our elders and teachers.

How we can help