About the Language:
Chuj is a Mayan language spoken primarily by the Chuj people of Guatemala and parts of Mexico. The language is closely connected to Chuj cultural traditions and remains an important form of communication and cultural expression.

About the Interview:
In this interview, Ernesto shares their experience speaking Chuj and discusses the importance of the language in their family, culture, and personal identity.

Ernesto Felipe Hernandez – Chuj

Translation Note: This interview was originally conducted in Spanish and has been translated into English for this website. The translation is intended to preserve the interviewee’s original meaning and responses as accurately as possible.

VRS: What is your full name, and where were you born and where do you currently reside?

EF: Ernesto Felipe Hernandez. I was born in the department of Huehuetenango, Guatemala and I currently live in Lenoir, NC.

VRS: What Indigenous or heritage language do you speak?

EF: Chuj San Mateo

VRS: How did you learn this language?

EF: I spoke this language since I was younger.

VRS: Do you regularly speak this language in your day-to-day life? If so, who do you speak it with?

EF: I speak it with my bosses in my day-to-day life.

VRS: What has your experience been speaking this language in North Carolina?

EF: I feel comfortable speaking it.

VRS: Have you noticed a decline or increase in the number of speakers? Why do you think that is?

EF: Yes the number of people has gone down. I think it’s because nowadays schools exist that teach exclusively Spanish and the teachers also only speak Spanish.

VRS: How do you feel about speaking your language in public? Why?

EF: For me, I feel proud speaking.

VRS: Has your relationship with your language changed over time? If so, how?

EF: No, it has not changed.

VRS: Can you share a memory connected to hearing or speaking your language?

EF: A memory that I remember is when we were cleaning milpas and we would talk in the language.

VRS: How do younger generations in your community engage with the language?

EF: Well, now they don’t really talk a lot.

VRS: What concerns, if any, do you have about the future of your language?

EF: I hope that the language never dies and that the younger generations continue to speak it.

VRS: What advice would you give to someone interested in learning your language?

EF: Buy books and put a lot of effort into learning.

“I am very tired” spoken in Chuj by Ernesto