The languages featured on this website are part of a much larger global story. Many of them are connected to Indigenous communities and cultures outside of North Carolina, while others have been brought to the state through migration and family connections. Together, they demonstrate how languages can cross borders while continuing to preserve history, culture, and identity.

Where the Languages Come From

• Quechua — Primarily spoken in Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, Chile, and Argentina.
• Q’anjob’al — Primarily spoken by the Q’anjob’al people of Guatemala, especially in Huehuetenango.
• Mam — Primarily spoken in Guatemala and southern Mexico.
• K’iche’ — Primarily spoken by the K’iche’ people of Guatemala.
• Chuj — Primarily spoken in Guatemala and Mexico.
• Yesa:sahį — An Indigenous language connected to Native American communities in North Carolina.
• Chatino – An indigenous Mesoamerican language spoken by around 45,000 to 52,000 people in the southern part of Oaxaca, Mexico

Languages Travel With People

When people move to a new place, they bring more than their belongings with them. They also bring their languages, traditions, stories, and cultural identities. As communities from around the world have made North Carolina their home, their languages have become part of the state’s growing linguistic diversity.

Connecting Communities

The interviews on this website show how language can create connections between North Carolina and communities around the world. Whether a language has been spoken in a region for generations or has been brought to North Carolina through migration, each language represents a unique history and cultural experience.

Why It Matters

Exploring languages beyond North Carolina helps us recognize that linguistic diversity is not limited by borders. Every language carries knowledge, history, and identity, and preserving these languages helps ensure that those stories continue to be shared with future generations.