Awakening the Language & Culture of Ancient Maya (fwd link)

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Awakening the Language & Culture of Ancient Maya
Posted by Miguel Vilar on November 14, 2013

It is estimated that by 2100, more than half of the 7,000 languages spoken
on Earth will have disappeared. Throughout human history, languages have
come and gone, but the rate at which languages are disappearing has
accelerated dramatically in recent years.

Why does it matter?

National Geographic’s Enduring Voices
project<http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/enduring-voices/>,
which is documenting endangered languages, reminds us that each time the
planet loses a language, humanity loses an important piece of its cultural
identity. Many of the most vulnerable languages have yet to be written down
because their culture and traditions are passed down orally.

One of the primary goals of the Genographic
Project<https://genographic.nationalgeographic.com/> is
to gather and analyze research data in collaboration with indigenous and
traditional peoples around the world. Recognizing the importance of
preserving indigenous languages and traditions, the Genographic Project
developed the Genographic Legacy Fund (GLF) in 2005. A portion of the
proceeds from the sale of the Geno 2.0 DNA Kits goes to the GLF, which
distributes grants to indigenous and traditional communities requesting
support for cultural and language revitalization projects. To date, 75
grants totaling more than $2 million have gone towards community-led
projects.
Access full article below:
http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2013/11/14/awakening-the-language-culture-of-ancient-maya/
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