The Kukuya Platform is an initiative deeply rooted in the Salasaka community's mission to preserve and revitalize the Kichwa language and culture. It serves as a multifaceted hub for cultural and linguistic education, empowering individuals through diverse programs and digital tools.
Key Components of the Kukuya Platform:
- Kukuya Summer School: Since 2021, this program has offered immersive language and cultural experiences to learners of all ages, fostering a deep connection to Kichwa traditions through storytelling, music, and hands-on cultural activities.
- Kuti App: A mobile application designed to make Kichwa learning accessible to a broader audience. The app features interactive lessons, vocabulary building, and cultural insights, making it a powerful tool for both beginners and advanced learners.
- Stories Project: This initiative celebrates the community’s oral traditions by collecting and digitizing fairy tales and folk stories. These stories are illustrated by trained community members and archived on a website, accompanied by narrations in Kichwa and transcriptions in Kichwa, Spanish, and English, ensuring their preservation for future generations and their utility as an educational resource.
- Kichwa Podcast: An audio platform designed to bring the language to life through conversational practice, storytelling, and discussions about Kichwa culture. This podcast is an engaging resource for both language learners and those interested in indigenous heritage.
Vision:
The Kukuya Platform embodies a holistic approach to language revitalization, blending traditional knowledge with modern technology to inspire pride in cultural identity and encourage intergenerational language transmission. It is a beacon of hope for preserving the Kichwa language and fostering a greater appreciation of its cultural significance.
By sharing the stories and voices of the Salasaka people, Kukuya not only revitalizes a language but also strengthens the community's cultural identity in an ever-changing world.