Digital culture for informal education and the Ñhäñhu language in Mexico City

Abstract

This study reflects and disseminates the work of indigenous communities in developing digital skills, highlighting the importance of digital culture in the education and preservation of the Otomi language in the Cuauhtémoc municipality, Mexico City. Using hip-hop and cell phones, innovative methods are explored to strengthen cultural identity and ensure the transmission of the indigenous language in an urban environment.

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, digital skills based on cell phone use allowed the community to develop digital skills empirically. Through the exchange and dissemination of information and educational content, they learned to articulate elements, such as photos, selfies, screenshots, voice messages, and videos. This knowledge was applied in cultural activities that included video and sound editing, complementing the creation of content, such as

hip-hop, using only smartphones. This not only shows the cultural richness of the Ñhäñhu community in Mexico City, but is also used for teaching-learning, helping to continue the transmission of their language to new generations. 

The qualitative methodology focuses on a group made up of five young Ñhäñhu, between 20 and 24 years old, who use music and digital skills to communicate with their place of origin in Santiago Mexquititlan, Querétaro.

This ethnographic work seeks to reflect on inclusive participation in the face of new challenges such as the use of artificial intelligence (AI), respecting cultural and linguistic diversity, protecting data and developing digital skills that support sustainable and autonomous practices, such as education within communities, reducing the digital divide.