ABOUT THE LEVEL 1 COURSE
RCAZU YSEIDYU DIZHSA E?
This intensive online course on Dizhsa (Western Tlacolula Valley Zapotec, as spoken in San Lucas Quiaviní) will give participants an opportunity to develop their Zapotec language skills and cultural literacy, through formal instruction, extensive use of open access educational materials, and real-time interactions with instructors and presenters from Zapotec communities in Oaxaca and the diaspora. Participants will also have the opportunity to connect with speakers and learners of other Zapotec language varieties through an intentional educational community on Twitter (#UsaTuVoz). Classes emphasize the development of both oral and written communication skills. Participants who complete this course will be able to communicate in familiar day-to-day situations in Dizhsa, will be able to exchange information on familiar topics, and will have a solid foundation for further study or work with Western Tlacolula Valley Zapotec-speaking communities.
Zapotec is being offered in Workshop for the first time in 2022, in honor of the start of the UN Decade of Indigenous Languages. The course may be of interest to Zapotec heritage speakers and those with interest in Oaxaca, Mexico, Mesoamerica, Indigeneity, linguistics, anthropology, and ethnobotany. The course will make use of freely available educational resources, including Cali Chiu: A Course in Valley Zapotec, Valley Zapotec Language Lessons (https://www.youtube.com/valleyzapoteclanguagelessons), and Dizhsa Nabani(https://www.youtube.com/c/DizhsaNabani/videos).
Participation is limited to 13 and admission is competitive. Preference will go to applicants who seek Zapotec skills for work in, with, or around the community. We strongly encourage applicants to apply by the first application deadline (below) and to take care in their application to describe the reasons for their interest in Zapotec.