DESCRIPTION

Yágankuta, which can be translated as Yagan word or Yagan language, is the title of this little dictionary with illustrations by children of the Yagan community. It is a thematic dictionary which is interwoven with the cosmology of this culture.

The book also contains a short introduction to phonetic characteristics of the language, developed in cooperation with the linguist Yoram Meroz. The book cover holds an audio CD with vocabulary and expressions in Yagan and their translation into Spanish, as well as a Yagan legend spoken in Yagan and Spanish by Cristina Calderón, the last native speaker of the old language.

The production of this book involved several Yagan workshops in which grandmother Cristina Calderón gave the children insights into the language and stories of her ancestors.

For the illustrations the artist Anna Kölle gave a workshop in which she introduced the children to the techniques and the uses of linoleum cuts. Drawing on this introduction and on their experiences with the grandmother, the children made linocut pictures.

Yágankuta, a book for teaching, for reference or simply to look at, listen to, and enjoy.

AVAILABLE AT

1st Edition 2011  -  out of print

The “Consejo Nacional de la Cultura de Chile” kindly contributed to the funding of this edition. They were also responsible for the printing.

After we submitted the print data, unfortunately, changes in layout and text were made, which led to mistakes in this printed version.

2nd Edition ...

A second augmented version, which will also include the transcription of a story in the Yagan language, is in the works.