Displacing the Self: Self-Translation and Literature in Indigenous Languages

Abstract

In the field of literature in Indigenous languages, self-translation plays a decisive role in promoting intercultural dialogue and can be considered a form of activism, as it visibilizes marginalized languages, thereby contributing to reshaping political and social landscapes. In fact, “Indigenous” should not be understood as a racial category, but rather a political one, as demonstrated by the linguistic activism of authors such as Yásnaya Aguilar Gil, Delmar Penka, Elvis Guerra, Margarita León, Irma Pineda, and Mikel Ruiz. In their activism, turning to self-translation seems inevitable, given the unavailability of professional translators and the involuntary bilingualism or diglossia in which most indigenous authors live. This, however, paves the way for a scenario of great literary richness. This article analyzes different practices of literary self-translation in Mexico’s Indigenous languages, which can be considered activism in defense of the country’s linguistic diversity, and shows how self-translation contributes to balancing the asymmetrical relationship between Spanish and native languages. Through a series of interviews with different actors involved in literature in Mexican Indigenous languages, we explore the notion and practice of self-translation as linguistic resistance. This study opens up new perspectives for research into the political dimension of literature in Indigenous languages, as well as its contributions to the understanding of interculturality.