Indigenous identity and the Mexican educational system: the case of a Chatino translation of the Mexican national anthem

Abstract

Translation of the Mexican national anthem into indigenous languages serves as a platform for the complex intersections between education, expression of indigenous identity, and Mexican nationalism, creating an indexical meaning that is negotiated and disputed in indigenous communities. Translating a coun‑ try’s anthem into an indigenous language raises further questions of semiotic techniques arising from a professed desire to integrate indigenous people into the larger Mexican society and which highlights language ideologies and power dynamics. Here, I describe the translation of the Mexican national anthem into the Chatino language of San Juan Quiahije, Oaxaca, Mexico. The text is provided in its entirety along with a comparative textual analysis of the translation. New cultural meanings that arise from the translation itself are examined, as well as the impact and implications of the performance of the national anthem in preschool and elementary schools. This case study exemplifies that in order to genuinely embrace indigenous languages in Mexico, the federal government must support the use of indigenous languages in public institutions, such as schools. Such projects will be most successful when led by indigenous people.