The Ngiba language is at risk of extinction; this project aims to prevent that from happening. A compendium of essential words with deep cultural, spiritual and existential significance will be compiled alongside community testimonies that offer insight into the Ngiba worldview. Through a collaborative translation process, local volunteers will translate these words and testimonies into Spanish. Beyond a linguistic task, translation will also become a creative and transformative act—reshaping, reconstructing and preserving meaning across languages. The final product will be an interactive digital repository, where users can explore Ngiba concepts and their Spanish translations, with space for more languages. This project serves an act of survival, memory and cultural resistance, ensuring that the legacy of Ngiba continues across tongues.
Ulises Matamoros Ascención (b. Santa Inés Ahuatempan, Puebla, Mexico, 1984) is an artist, educator, independent curator and founder of Chasen Thajni, a community space focused on Ngiba culture.
