The Need

The Indigenous Kamëntšá community in Colombia was decimated under the Capuchin monks' reign of terror. Their language and culture were nearly lost. Now, on the official Colombian list of Indigenous communities at risk of extinction, the Kamëntšá must preserve their language and unique way of thinking to continue to stand as one community. We welcome your help.

The Project

Fifteen elders—part of the mere 4% of fluent Kamëntšá speakers left—meet weekly to share their knowledge of the Kamëntšá language. In their mother tongue, they discuss worldview, territory, identity, customs, and traditions. Every session, lasting eight hours, is recorded.

An elder fluent in written Kamëntšá transcribes every session. Native linguists then turn these transcriptions into accessible teaching resources, ensuring the knowledge is passed to future generations.

This initiative is entirely grassroots: community-led, independent, and true to Indigenous education principles.

Funding Needs

This project requires €12,000 to continue for a full year. Each additional €1,000 funds another month of language transmission and cultural resilience.

Here’s where the money goes:

• Compensation for coordination and support

• Transcription of sessions

• Turning the transcriptions into educational resources

• Food

• Incentives for the elders

• Transportation

Thank you for your time and/or donation. We understand that not everyone is able to donate, but please share this page.

This crowdfunding is facilitated by Carole. As an anthropologist, she has lived and worked with the Kamëntšá over a period of six years.