Decolonial Voices: Creative resistance, language activism and reclaiming linguistic justice

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Abstract

Taking linguistic injustices as structural-historical injustice, the purpose of this paper is to examine the role of language activism in resisting discriminatory language policies and reclaiming Indigenous languages in Nepal. Drawing on ‘language activism’ (Florey et al., 2009) and ‘survivance’ (Vizenor, 2008), I discuss the power of language activism in reclaiming linguistic justice in Nepal’s oppressive language policies in different historical times. I have employed the ‘oral history method’ (Mahuika, 2019) to collect and analyze the stories of one Indigenous activist's struggles to reclaim linguistic justice by creating spaces for Indigenous languages in the public sphere. The findings show that Indigenous activists have predominantly used literary writings and grassroots magazines in Indigenous languages as two significant strategies for activism.

Author

• Prem Phyak, Teachers College, Columbia University