Nahuatl, Macehualcopa or Mexicano, is the mother tongue of our population, a testimony to this are the names of the hills, the planting and habitation sites, as well as the original neighborhoods of Atocpan. In the community, Nahuatl is not spoken on a regular basis; we must learn to listen, as our elders still practice it, but above all, realize the damage that this loss means. It is therefore important to ask ourselves why this loss is happening and to recognize that the adoption of Spanish was due to the need of a region to survive, to subsist, and even though it was reluctant and at a very high price. It is surprising, therefore, to note that the process of Castilianization of Atocpan is a relatively new phenomenon, especially if we consider more than 5 centuries of acculturation of indigenous communities in the country. The Dutch anthropologist Rudolf A. M. Van Zantwijk in his work, “Natives of Milpa Alta, heirs of the Aztec” recorded that in that decade, the majority of the 12 towns that make up the current delegation of Milpa Alta spoke this language in its entirety and, among these, only a third of the inhabitants of Tecomitl spoke Spanish. The adoption of Spanish was a phenomenon first precipitated by the disinterest and contempt for the original cultures of our country that characterized many governments of independent Mexico, on an other hand, because of centralist and industrialization policies of post-revolutionary governments. It is important to recognize that the cultural attack against the original peoples continues systematically in our country.
In 2011, Fernando Palma began to research on logo-syllabic writing. Focusing on what does this writing integrate or why is it important. In parallel, he has generated community cultural actions to make this language visible and reappropriate it, such as a community mural, digital and graphic media for the publications and graphics of Callpulli Tecalco and other organizations such as Más por Nosotros and the local company Jarabes San Pedro. He is currently working on the installation process of his artistic work that was carried out in 2021 in the Laboratorio Arte Alameda and is part of the exhibition ……curated by Lucía San Román.
It is estimated that in Milpa Alta, up to 1970, approximately 70% of the inhabitants spoke Nahuatl. Today, according to INEGI reports, less than 4% is spoken in the region. Milpa Alta is an area at high risk of losing the Nahuatl language. Promoting the language and other ancestral cultural practices such as milpa agriculture, proper management of forest natural resources, and food, are of vital importance in the rehabilitation of the Nahua language and culture of the region. Therefore, through various cultural activities, Callpulli Tecalco seeks to contribute to the rehabilitation of Nahua culture. To date, more than 1,500 workshops have been held.
