About the Language:
Mam is an Indigenous Mayan language spoken primarily by the Mam people of Guatemala and parts of southern Mexico. It carries a rich cultural history and continues to play an important role in the identity and traditions of Mam communities.
About the Interview:
In this interview, Walter shares their experience speaking Mam and discusses the importance of the language in preserving their cultural and family connections.
Walter Maurilio Hernandez Claudio- Mam
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?
WM: My name is Walter Maurilio Hernandez Claudio and I was born in Guatemala San Pedro and then I came here to Hickory, NC.
VRS: What Indigenous or heritage language do you speak?
WM: I speak Mam, my second language is Spanish.
VRS: How did you learn this language?
WM: Well my parents speak it and so when I was born they taught me, then when I started school I learned Spanish, but at home we all speak Mam.
VRS: Do you regularly speak this language in your day-to-day life? If so, who do you speak it with?
WM: Here not too much, just sometimes a few minutes a day when I talk to my mom.
VRS: How do you feel about speaking your language in public? Why?
WM: I feel proud of the place I was born and to be able to speak that language.
VRS: Has your relationship with your language changed over time? If so, how?
WM: I think that yes it has changed because I don’t tend to speak it a lot anymore since we all use technology.
VRS: How do younger generations in your community engage with the language?
WM: I have a younger sister right now she’s about 12 years old and she speaks the language really good as well as Spanish.
VRS: What concerns, if any, do you have about the future of your language?
WM: Well my concern would be losing the language and the customs attached to it and just not forgetting parts of the language.
VRS: What advice would you give to someone interested in learning your language?
WM: I think it would be very good to learn indigenous languages and I’ve seen a lot of people that speak many languages and I see that it’s very good to be able to communicate with many different people.
VRS: What do you wish more people knew about Indigenous and heritage languages?
WM: It would be nice for the people to just know and learn that the culture and language exists in general.
In the audio above, Walter shared a short question he usually asks his mom on the daily, “Hello mom, have you eaten yet?“
