Learning with Kachi, the UNAM app for Nahuatl education, explained herein
In August 2024, a team of students from the Faculty of Higher Studies Acatlán (FES) at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) launched an innovative project called Kachi. Named after a Mixtec word meaning "to say", "to relate" or "to speak", Kachi is an app designed to help learn a native Mexican language without the need for a subscription or membership.
Kachi aims to bridge the gap between indigenous peoples and the digital society by providing an accessible and respectful platform for learning and exploring the Nahuatl language and culture. The app utilises modern technologies such as SwiftUI, Core ML, and WidgetKit to create an engaging and interactive learning experience.
One of the key features of Kachi is its integration of the Tonalpohualli Calendar, which provides educational, visual, and symbolic content about the Nahua worldview. This calendar is a central part of the Nahuatl cosmovision, and its inclusion in the app helps to immerse users in the culture and traditions of the Nahuatl-speaking indigenous peoples.
The app also features a cultural repository for consulting recipes, vocabulary, traditional songs, and codices, as well as interactive experiences with Nahua characters. Kachi's development aligns with the United Nations' 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goal 16, which aims to promote peaceful and inclusive societies and create effective, responsible, and inclusive institutions.
Kachi is currently available on iOS devices, but the team is seeking funding to expand to Android platforms. The app is part of a larger project that aims to preserve and revitalise indigenous languages through technology and learning. Nahuatl, which belongs to the Yuto-Nahua linguistic family and has around 30 variants, is one of the most spoken indigenous languages in Mexico, with around 233 municipalities speaking it as their primary language.
By promoting accessibility and respect using the Mesoamerican worldview, Kachi addresses the lack of representation of indigenous languages in digital environments. The app's cultural progress system, based on wisdom and exploration, encourages users to learn and grow in their understanding of the Nahuatl culture and language.
For those interested in following updates on Kachi, the official channels of UNAM are the best source of information. The launch date for the app is yet to be announced, but users can expect a culturally rich and engaging learning experience that will help to preserve and revitalise the Nahuatl language and culture.
[1] The Kachi app aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals such as quality education and inclusion.
- The Kachi app, named after a Mixtec term meaning "to say" or "to relate," is not only designed to aid in learning a native Mexican language, but also aims to foster cross-cultural understanding by integrating the Nahuatl culture and cosmovision, such as the Tonalpohualli Calendar, within a technology-driven learning experience.
- With its engaging and interactive elements, including a cultural repository featuring recipes, traditional songs, and codices, as well as immersive experiences with Nahua characters, Kachi provides a unique and respectful platform to explore the rich and diverse aspects of indigenous lifestyles and home-and-garden practices, aligned with the UN's Sustainable Development Goal 16.
- Encouraging lifelong education and self-development within an inclusive learning environment, Kachi serves to bridge the digital divide and promote global understanding of indigenous cultures, like the Nahuatl-speaking communities, through the power of technology and innovative app designs.
