Amuzgo Interpreters and Translators: A Quick Guide

As the Amuzgo people increasingly migrate to the United States for safety, economic opportunities, and a better quality of life, language access is one of their biggest obstacles. This is where Amuzgo interpreters step in and help migrants integrate safely into their new surroundings.

For the Amuzgo, whose cultural and linguistic heritage has stood the test of time, interpreters play a major role in bridging the gap between their traditional ways of life and the challenges of modern migration.

This blog explores the Amuzgo language, why the Amuzgo are migrating, and the support interpreters can provide them as they settle in the United States.

Who speaks Amuzgo?

Amuzgo is spoken by the Indigenous Amuzgo people of Mexico, primarily in the Costa Chica region of Guerrero and Oaxaca, near the Pacific Ocean. The Amuzgos refer to themselves as Tzjon non, meaning "People of the Textiles." Spoken by approximately 60,000 people, Amuzgo ranks as the thirteenth most common indigenous language in Oaxaca.

Belonging to the Oto-Manguean language family, Amuzgo shares similarities with Mixteco. Mexico’s Instituto Nacional de Lenguas Indígenas (National Indigenous Languages Institute) officially recognizes four variants: Northern, Southern, Upper Eastern Amuzgo, and Lower Eastern. While they are mostly mutually intelligible, there are major differences between Western (Northern and Southern) and Eastern (Upper and Lower Eastern) variants.

There is little information on the origins of the Amuzgo people. One theory suggests that they migrated from the Pánuco River area, traveling through the Mexican Plateau and Puebla before arriving and establishing themselves in Oaxaca and Guerrero. Another theory, based on their oral tradition, suggests that they migrated from the Pacific islands. It is also likely that their migration to the northern edge of the Mixtec territory arose from the need to flee ethnic conflict with Mixtec communities.

The Spanish conquest of 1522 dramatically impacted Amuzgo society. The Spanish implemented forced labor and religious conversion, driving the Amuzgo away and displacing them from their lands. Along with violent conflicts, the Spanish also introduced European diseases, which caused a massive decline in their population. The Spanish also began bringing in African slaves that eventually began settling in Amuzgo territories, causing displacement from their lands.

Amuzgo communities have maintained strong cultural practices centered around agriculture and textile production. In addition to cultivating crops like corn, beans, squash, and chilies, they hunt, fish, and raise livestock.

Textile production is the Amuzgo people’s most important handicraft, which is primarily work done by Amuzgo women in accordance with their historic communal role. Amuzgo weaving is characterized by two-dimensional designs woven, and sometimes embroidered, into cloth. Aside from being artistic works, these intricate designs serve as a form of graphic communication that helps preserve their cultural identity and memory.

Why are the Amuzgo migrating?

Since the late 20th century, the Amuzgo have faced growing economic and social constraints. The Amuzgo region’s economy relies on subsistence farming and handicrafts, sources of income that often aren't sufficient for families. Their migration, however, is not driven only by economic reasons. Amuzgo communities face multiple threats that force them to flee their ancestral lands.

For the Amuzgo, migration is more often than not a matter of survival rather than choice. The majority live in constant danger, regularly facing violent attacks, ethnic and gender-based violence, kidnappings, and land evictions. Organized crime recruitment and cartel violence are also ongoing concerns that threaten individuals' lives and have created severe instability in their communities. These factors combined have generated extremely dangerous and insecure environments, forcing many to seek safety and asylum abroad.

Over the past decade, violent crime in Mexico has radically altered migration patterns, and has contributed to widespread internal displacement. Since 2009, estimates suggest that more than 310,000 individuals have been forcibly displaced across Mexico. In 2017 alone, 20,000 people were displaced, with Indigenous communities being the most affected. Notably, Indigenous peoples accounted for 60% of those displaced, highlighting their greater vulnerability to structural instability.

The Roles And Importance Of Amuzgo Interpreters

Amuzgo interpreters help migrants to express themselves and understand the information they are given, allowing them to better advocate for themselves and make more informed decisions.

Interpreters act as trusted guides for Amuzgo migrants, guiding them through the complex U.S. immigration system, and helping them get access to medical, legal, and social services. In settings like doctor's appointments, immigration proceedings, and court hearings, qualified Amuzgo interpreters are indispensable.

Besides providing language assistance, interpreters are also integral to intercultural communication. Having an interpreter who understands both American and Amuzgo cultures can help make communication smoother and less stressful for both sides.

Amuzgo is spoken by roughly 60,000 people, mainly in southern Mexico and only in a few U.S. cities. Although this is a a larger number compared to some other Indigenous languages, this geographic concentration and limited number of speakers makes finding interpreters difficult. Most people often overlook Indigenous languages like Amuzgo, relying instead on Spanish interpreters, resulting in many people having limited understanding and accessibility in critical situations such as in court or in healthcare settings.

This language disparity restricts Amuzgo speakers' access to healthcare, legal aid, and social services. Without language services, they are at risk of misdiagnoses, unfair legal decisions, and unjust deportations. Amuzgo speakers need access to qualified interpreters to have a clear understanding of their circumstances and exercise their fundamental right to language access in the U.S.

Work With A Amuzgo Interpreter from Maya Bridge

At Maya Bridge, we offer language services for Amuzgo and all of its variants to provide your organization with comprehensive linguistic support. Since 2021, we have provided Amuzgo to English interpretation to countless government agencies, healthcare organizations, and courts. As a niche interpretation agency specializing in Indigenous languages, we are uniquely equipped to offer on-demand Amuzgo interpretation, 24 hours a day.

We offer:

Video Remote Amuzgo Interpretation
Over-the-phone Amuzgo Interpretation
In-person Amuzgo Interpretation
Court-certified Amuzgo Interpretation
Medical-certified Amuzgo Interpretation
Amuzgo Translation
Amuzgo Voiceover and Subtitles

Learn more about our language services here.

Maya Bridge - A Leading Advocate For Latin American Indigenous Language Access In The U.S.

Since 2021, Maya Bridge Language Services has been advocating for increased access for speakers of Mayan and other Latin American and global Indigenous languages here in the United States. Maya Bridge is a mission-driven, niche interpretation agency offering 24/7 on-demand services for over 100 Indigenous languages from Latin America, as well as African, Asian, Pacific Island, Native American, and other Indigenous languages.

We have worked diligently to mobilize, train, and evaluate a network of hundreds of interpreters both in the U.S. and throughout the world to ensure that speakers of Indigenous languages can fully understand and be understood in important situations like healthcare, legal settings, in disaster and emergency response scenarios, and in receiving access to government programs.