Chatino Interpreters and Translators: A Quick Guide

valeriamarchese2
May 9
5 min read

As the Chatino people increasingly migrate to the United States for safety, economic opportunities, and a better quality of life, language access is one of their biggest obstacles. This is where Chatino interpreters step in and help migrants integrate safely into their new surroundings.

For the Chatino, whose cultural and linguistic heritage has stood the test of time, interpreters play a major role in bridging the gap between their traditional ways of life and the challenges of modern migration.

This blog explores the Chatino language, why the Chatino are migrating, and the support interpreters can provide them as they settle in the United States.

Who speaks Chatino?

Chatino is a group of languages that are spoken by approximately 45,000 people in southern Oaxaca, Mexico. The term "Chatino" originates from the Spanish adaptation of "cha'tnö," literally translating to "words work." Chatino speakers use this term to refer both to their language and themselves.

Recognized as a national language of Mexico, Chatino belongs to the Zapotecan branch of the Oto-Manguean language family and shares linguistic similarities with Zapotec. The Chatino language consists of three main groups, each with multiple variants that have varying degrees of mutual intelligibility: Zenzontepec Chatino, Tataltepec Chatino, and Eastern Chatino.

The little that is known about Chatino origins comes from linguistic and archaeological studies. Lexicostatistics suggest that Chatino broke away from the Zapotecan language family between 4000 BCE and 200 CE, while archaeological evidence indicates that the Chatino separated from the Zapotecs around 1-30 CE.

In 1522, the Spanish conquered Tututepec, a settlement in present-day Oaxaca, where the Chatino lived under a tributary system. Spanish rule introduced new authorities, religious conversions, and increased taxation, but the most devastating impact came from European diseases, which caused catastrophic population losses. Under Spanish control, the Chatino were forced into cochineal production, a valuable dye. After Mexico gained independence in 1821, the cochineal market collapsed and severely disrupted the region's economy. Liberal reforms between 1856 and 1859 further devastated Chatino communities as they lost much of their native lands.

Agriculture is a central part of Chatino life. Corn, beans, squash, tomatoes, and chilies are staple crops, while coffee provides an important source of income. Increasing employment in commercial farming has led to a decrease in traditional handmade crafts. Pottery-making and major weaving traditions have nearly disappeared, though belts and baskets are still being made. Traditional clothing, such as white cotton garments for men and long skirts and blouses for women, is now often made from machine-produced fabrics rather than hand-woven materials.

Why are the Chatino migrating?

Chatino migration is the result of a series of overlapping historical, economic, environmental, and social pressures. Among these, the most notable are the restructuring of land ownership and the development of industrial agriculture.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, government land reforms and land seizures displaced many Chatino from their ancestral territories, disrupting their traditional ways of life and subsistence farming practices. With fewer farming opportunities, their communities weakened economically, and individuals and families were forced to seek work abroad or in other regions of Mexico. These changes also led to land disputes and decreased access to resources, both of which further destabilized their communities and intensified the need to migrate.

Land issues continue to plague the Chatino. In the last few decades, their lands have been affected by environmental degradation and detrimental changes in agricultural conditions. Moreover, large-scale agricultural development projects have caused considerable damage throughout the area. Their migration is as much a direct response to land loss as economic hardship.

Today there are several Chatino hubs in the Southeastern United States, among them in Durham, North Carolina, Atlanta, Georgia, and Huntsville, Alabama.

The Roles And Importance Of Chatino Interpreters

Chatino interpreters help migrants to express themselves and understand the information they are given, allowing them to better advocate for themselves and make more informed decisions.

Interpreters act as trusted guides for Chatino migrants, guiding them through the complex U.S. immigration system, and helping them get access to medical, legal, and social services. In settings like doctor's appointments, immigration proceedings, and court hearings, qualified Chatino interpreters are indispensable.

Besides providing language assistance, interpreters are also integral to intercultural communication. Having an interpreter who understands both American and Chatino cultures can help make communication smoother and less stressful for both sides.

It is usually difficult to find individuals who are both fluent in Chatino and professionally trained as interpreters. There are several reasons for this.

Chatino is not widely spoken outside southern Oaxaca, and so fewer resources are available for professional development. Interpreter training programs typically prioritize more widely spoken languages, which leaves languages like Chatino underrepresented and Chatino speakers underserved. Without adequate institutional support, few opportunities exist for individuals to receive the necessary training and become interpreters.

This language disparity restricts Chatino speakers' access to healthcare, legal aid, and social services. Without language services, they are at risk of misdiagnoses, unfair asylum decisions, and unjust deportations. Chatino speakers need access to qualified interpreters to have a clear understanding of their circumstances and exercise their fundamental right to language access in the U.S.

Work With A Chatino Interpreter from Maya Bridge

At Maya Bridge, we offer language services for Chatino and all of its variants to provide your organization with comprehensive linguistic support. Since 2021, we have provided Chatino to English interpretation to countless government agencies, healthcare organizations, and courts. As a small, niche interpretation agency specializing in Indigenous languages, we are uniquely equipped to offer on-demand Chatino interpretation, 24 hours a day.

We offer:

Video Remote Chatino Interpretation
Over-the-phone Chatino Interpretation
In-person Chatino Interpretation
Court-certified Chatino Interpretation
Medical-certified Chatino Interpretation
Chatino Translation
Chatino Voiceover and Subtitles

Learn more about our language services here.

Maya Bridge - A Leading Advocate For Latin American Indigenous Language Access In The U.S.

Since 2021, Maya Bridge Language Services has been advocating for increased access for speakers of Mayan and other Latin American and global Indigenous languages here in the United States. Maya Bridge is a mission-driven, niche interpretation agency offering 24/7 on-demand services for over 100 Indigenous languages from Latin America, as well as African, Asian, Pacific Island, Native American, and other Indigenous languages.

We have worked diligently to mobilize, train, and evaluate a network of hundreds of interpreters both in the U.S. and throughout the world to ensure that speakers of Indigenous languages can fully understand and be understood in important situations like healthcare, legal settings, in disaster and emergency response scenarios, and in receiving access to government programs.