In Chile, the official recognition extends to eleven ancestral indigenous peoples: Aymara, Quechua, Lickanantay, Colla, Chango, Diaguita, Rapa Nui, Mapuche, Kawésqar, Selk’nam, and Yagán, as well as the Afro-descendant tribal community. Of these, only four—Aymara, Quechua, Rapa Nui, and Mapuche—exhibit ongoing linguistic vitality, while others are actively engaged in efforts to rescue or revitalize their languages.
In a significant step towards supporting these languages, Chile’s Ministry of Education has distributed 27,000 copies of the book *Taiñ zoy küme chegeal* (What Makes Us Human) to nearly 11,000 educational institutions nationwide. Co-published by UNESCO and Planeta Sostenible, the book is a key component of a decade-long United Nations action plan aimed at addressing the global challenge of language endangerment.
Esther Kuisch Laroche, Director of UNESCO’s Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean, emphasized the book’s role in raising awareness about the urgency of preserving indigenous languages. “This publication celebrates linguistic diversity as a fundamental aspect of our humanity,” she noted, thanking Chile for its efforts to incorporate the book into school communities.
The Ministry of Education underscores its commitment to indigenous languages, aligning with international agreements such as the ILO Convention 169 and participating actively in the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. Undersecretary of Education Alejandra Arratia Martínez highlighted that in 2023, the subject of Language and Culture of Ancestral Indigenous Peoples was taught in 1,446 institutions, with plans to expand this number.
The book, authored by Victor D.O. Santos and illustrated by Anna Forlati, is part of the International Decade of Indigenous Languages (2022-2032). It complements Chile’s educational resources and the Educational Reactivation Plan, which aims to recover learning losses from the COVID-19 pandemic. To support this initiative, a didactic guide will be developed to facilitate pedagogical approaches with an intercultural perspective.
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