How Nahuatl found me

[Maria]

Joe, we should seriously work in compiling in some form all these
testimonies. I am always interested about people who decide to learn
other languages, whatever language they may choose. The more I teach or
work with languages I realize those of us who learn languages belong in
an endangered group. In the community college, today, even Spanish
classes that used to be packed are losing numbers. German is no longer
taught. There are only two or three courses available in Arabic.
Japanese and Mandarin have one or two sections, not more than that. My
students they fall in two general categories. Those who see the
importance of learning languages but are caught up in the business of
having someone teach them and not learning it themselves. The other
group is made of those who realize -of course I want to be counted among
this bunch- learning a language involves a life endeavor, a daily effort
made of heroic acts of loyalty to the task. I have wanted to enroll in
an Arabic class, for instance, since about a month ago, and the
possibilities are so few my project doesn't even seem realistic, to
anybody. The ones I have found are advanced, which tells me they are
geared for the children of Arabic speakers who want to recuperate what
they have lost. Believe it or not, the only online possibility I found
came from Montana State University. I frankly was appalled to learn the
interest for Arabic in Montana exceeded San Diego's. 
As for Náhuatl... Two years ago I found in San Marcos, desperate to do
something more than work the fields for a minimum wage, a teacher/poet
of Náhuatl. I sent a wide invitation to form a group and come up with a
decent pay for him. IT would have amounted to a hundred to two hundred
dollars per person, per semester, even less, depending on how many
joined. I really thought at least ten people would show up, eager to
learn. I was too optimistic. Not one person showed up. Many responded, I
must say. There were plenty of good deeds and good excuses. Lack of time
was number one. A lot said they were not sure that they could give
themselves two hours a week for as long as they needed to learn "such a
difficult" language. I asked the teacher to stay put and be patient. I
thought I needed to be more persuasive. I offered to pitch in with a
demo lesson so everyone would be happy and motivated. I did schedule it,
not a soul showed up. They wrote to me that second time, and promised,
provided I organized it on a weekend, to come next time. 
End result, the teacher got discouraged and never called again. 
I have known two teachers who knew Náhuatl and could share their
knowledge practically. I tried signing up to go to Morelos, to spend the
summer. But I was told my children could not come -at the time 5 and 7.
The trip meant camping out and sleeping in places they did not think
appropriate for children. I know we would have loved it but they did not
think so. Maybe they thought we would be too picky. So all the Náhuatl I
have learned I have learned it pretty much on my own. Almost like I
learned Latin, to keep it in my box of treasures and share it once every
life. I work both for the Community College and for San Diego State
University. I have tried convincing them to teach Náhuatl and/or
Purépecha and find out if there is an interest. They decline graciously
my invitation. I have interviewed hundreds of workers from Latin
American Countries. I know there are a lot of Mayan speakers, Mixteco,
Zapoteco, and Purépecha. It would be great if there could be a conscious
drive to show how these languages count and that it is important to
spread and document their existence. But often I find myself alone in
thinking this way. It would be nice to find a group in the San Diego
area of people who want to become active speakers. If you have the said
references send them to me. I offer my place to start that circle. I
will provide the coffee, the music, the candles, the materials, the
housekeeping, everything to do that. I have all the books and materials
you can possibly think, and I will start a group with as many as another
person for as long as it takes us both to recruit any one else.
 
Maria Bolivar
 
 
 
 
"We don´t see things as they are,
We see things as we are."
Anais Nin
 
Dr. María Dolores Bolívar
 <mailto:MBOLIVAR at san.rr.com> MBOLIVAR at san.rr.com
 
 <http://geografiaserrantes.com/laruda/>
http://geografiaserrantes.com/laruda/
http://geografiaserrantes.com/imaginomios/
 
 
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