runasimi.

FINAL MAJOR PROJECT. Runasimi = the people's tongue (Quechua translation) "Runa" means 'indigenous person/people' and the word "simi" means 'tongue'. Quechua/ Quichua/ Kichwa is an indigenous language from South America, originating from Cusco, Peru. Our ancestors used to communicate using this language during the time of "Inca Empire" up until the Spanish Conquest of South America in (1532) where they imposed Spanish as our official language. Quechua was nearly wiped out, nearly forgotten, just like most of our ancestors were, but to this present day, it still exists. It survived. It survives. It thrives. It is alive and why? because of the native Quechuan people who continue to practice the dialect (way of life) in the Andes region and who keep passing on their teachings... Growing up as an Ecuadorian, it is inevitable that you'll end up learning and speaking Quechua, without even knowing it. Using words such as; 'ñaña' or 'ñaño', if you have any siblings, 'ayayai' when you've hurt yourself, 'arrarai' when you've burnt yourself or even 'achachai' when you're freezing because your parents have just showered you in 'ICE COLD' water for being a naughty 'wambra'. Funny enough, I always thought these words we were using & have been using as long as I can remember, were simply 'slang' terms/words that formed part of the Ecuadorian dialect, words specifically from our country, from the region I am from, 'La sierra', (the highlands). Little did I know, these 'words' that I had been using my whole life were far from 'slang', they are in fact a part of our past & very much our present. My abuelita Maria (Grandma) from my mother's side, in fact, came from el campo (the countryside), where Quechua was her mother tongue. When my grandma moved into town, she began to learn Spanish quite quickly., word by word. Slowly, with time and with age, she began to forget what she had once learnt as a child, simply because of the lack of practice. She didn't use it anymore, didn't need to, especially in an environment that was predominantly Spanish at the time and still is to this day. Both my abuelita + my abuelito, were able to speak, teach and pass on to their children the odd Quechua word/phrase from time to time, with my mum being able to do the same with my ñaña (sister) and me. This project is a part of me and it is a part of the South American people too. This project is essentially about preserving, sharing, teaching and keeping, this, one of the many indigenous languages alive. It's a way of life. It's the people's tongue.