Since the 1960’s to the 1980’s when K’iche’ Mayans began migrating en masse due to the Guatemalan genocide that took place during the time, the K’iche’ people have continued migrating to the United States for safety, economic opportunities, and a better quality of life. K’iche’ migrants often face many obstacles when integrating into new societies, language access being one of them. This is where K'iche' interpreters step in, helping migrants to integrate safely into their new surroundings.
For the K'iche', 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 K'iche' language, why the K’iche’ are migrating, and the support interpreters can provide them as they settle in the United States.
Who speaks K'iche'?
The K'iche' language (spelled as Quiché in Spanish) is a Mayan language spoken by the K'iche' people, primarily in the western highlands of Quetzaltenango, Quiché, and other areas of Guatemala. Spoken by more than a million people, roughly 7% of Guatemala's population, K'iche' is the second most common language in Guatemala after Spanish. It is also one of the most spoken Indigenous languages in the region, used in diasporic Mayan communities across Central America and the United States, totaling an estimated 1.5 million speakers.
The word "K’iche’" is derived from two parts: "k’i," meaning "many," and "che’," meaning "tree." "K’iche’", therefore, translates to "many trees" or "forest." Similarly, it has been proposed that Guatemala's original name, "Quahtlemallan," comes from the Nahuatl word that refers to "place of many trees" and also to the K’iche’.
Like all Mayan languages, K'iche' originates from the ancient Proto-Mayan language. It is a member of the K'iche'an-Mamean branch of the Mayan language family, and is most similar to Sakapulteko, Kaqchikel, Sipakapense, and Tz’utujil.
One of the most dialectally diverse Mayan languages, K’iche’ has five main dialects: East, West, Central, North, and South. Media and education most commonly use the Central dialect. These dialects are so distinct that they can almost be considered separate languages, which is common in the Mayan language family. Finding the right interpreter requires identifying the speaker's specific town, as each dialect has variants that vary greatly by region.
The most renowned work in Classical K'iche' is the Popol Vuh. Meaning "Book of the Community", the Popol Vuh recounts the creation of humankind as well as the history of the K’iche’ people, their kings, and their deities, providing an in-depth look into K’iche’ mythology, heritage, and culture.
The K’iche’ are the largest group of Mayans in Guatemala. Their culture is very similar to Tz’utujil and Kaqchikel cultures. A significant part of their economy and life is centered around agriculture. They typically live on their own land and harvest crops like beans, squash, and corn as well as profit crops like peaches and strawberries. The K'iche' also weave and make pottery, and wear traditional clothing.
Why are the K'iche' migrating?
K'iche' migration has deep roots, beginning in the 19th century with movement primarily within the Guatemalan highlands and to Guatemala City. Migration to the United States started in the 1990s, following decades of poor governance, poverty, and lack of development.
As with all Mayan communities, the K'iche' have faced decades of systemic oppression and persecution for being Mayan. In Guatemala, K'iche' migration is the result of a long history of violence and marginalization, traceable originally to Spanish colonization, and more recently, the genocide during the Guatemalan Civil War.
Migration itself is another reason for K'iche’ migration. It is often the case that when a large percentage of a town's inhabitants leave, the local economy is disrupted and prices rise.
A large part of families in these towns rely on remittances sent from relatives abroad. These funds are usually used to buy land, build homes, or start small businesses, raising the demand and cost for land and labor. As land and labor costs rise, more people migrate to be able to help their families meet these rising costs. It eventually creates a cycle where local economies grow slowly, but still depend on remittances to sustain their growth.
The lack of options unfortunately drives many, especially the younger generation, to irregular migration. In the absence of institutional support, issues like extreme poverty, inequality, and lack of opportunities have worsened. The result has been an increase in social tensions and violence within communities. Recent years have also seen a rise in targeted violence against Indigenous activists. The escalating violence, coupled with inaction by the Guatemalan government, has led many K'iche' to seek safety and asylum through any means necessary.
Remembering victims of genocide in Guatemala City. EPA/Esteban Biba
The K'iche’ is among the largest Indigenous groups from Guatemala in the U.S. New Bedford, Massachusetts; Los Angeles, California; Saluda, South Carolina; and Providence, Rhode Island are all home to large K'iche’ communities. The majority come from the middle class and are often well-educated.
The Roles And Importance Of K'iche' Interpreters
K'iche' 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 K'iche' 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 K'iche' interpreters are indispensable.
Besides providing language assistance, interpreters are also integral to intercultural communication. Having an interpreter who understands both American and K'iche' cultures can help make communication smoother and less stressful for both sides.
Even though many K’iche’ have a working knowledge of Spanish, it is often not enough to have a credible fear interview, get through the U.S. immigration process, or go to a doctor’s appointment. Providing them with a Spanish interpreter would be detrimental.
Like many other Mayan languages, finding translators and interpreters for K'iche' can sometimes be difficult. While there are more K'iche' interpreters available compared to other Mayan languages, the number is still relatively small when compared to interpreters for more widely spoken languages.
There are relatively few trained interpreters available, largely because many K'iche' speakers have limited proficiency in English. A lack of formal certification programs for K'iche' interpreters adds to the challenge, resulting in an even greater shortage of qualified professionals to meet the demand.
An example of this can be seen in Oregon, where certification requirements have presented several obstacles for K'iche' interpreters. An Oregon bill passed in 2021 now mandates that healthcare providers must use OHA-certified interpreters. It has been argued, however, that the certification requirements for this system have excluded Indigenous speakers, especially those from Mexico and Guatemala.
Many K'iche' speakers lack formal education or a GED, which is required for certification. Fluency in English is required, but K'iche' speakers are typically more proficient in Spanish. Interpreters must take part in a 60-hour formal training that is available only in English. Lastly, certification requires evidence of proficiency, yet there are currently no proficiency exams for Indigenous languages like K'iche’.
Mirador Vista Chuwilá Chichicastenango, Guatemala.
Work With A K'iche' Interpreter from Maya Bridge
At Maya Bridge, we offer language services for K'iche' and all its dialects to provide your organization with comprehensive linguistic support. Since 2021, we have provided K'iche' to English interpretation to countless government agencies, healthcare organizations, and courts. As a small, niche interpretation agency specializing in Latin American Indigenous languages, we are uniquely equipped to offer on-demand K'iche' interpretation, 24 hours a day.
We offer:
Video Remote K'iche' Interpretation
Over the Phone K'iche' Interpretation
In-person K'iche' Interpretation
Court-certified K'iche' Interpretation
Medical-certified K'iche' Interpretation
K'iche' Translation
K'iche' 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 80 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.
Contact us to schedule a meeting or call us anytime, day or night, at (801) 753-8568.
Comments