Mixtec is a group of languages spoken primarily in Oaxaca, Mexico. UNESCO recognises most of them as endangered although it is officially recognised and there are over 50 varieties.

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EPI

E kesa’a sa naniyo, sa ka’antsu xo
P ku enka sa kua’an sa naniyo vi tyu.
I kachi sa ii, sa vi ka sa ne’e sa naniyo
F kuani fa, ña fe, doko ndida vili kua’an.

Ami keeyo vi tyu mani, ami katyintsu
Naku dakuyo kuan ntsada ntyoxa’anxo
Ii ntyisayo diku kida sa ntyoxa’anntsu
Ami ki’inntsu vita san io u ku da’ando.

Tenyo ku to’onntsu, san tenntsu sto’onyo.
R nda kuiti, ndantyisa ne’e ta’anndo vaxi
Eni ndu xanayo, san eni ndu kuanantsu
Vi, kuan vi katyi sa vajndo ndundo vi tyu.
Ii kuan ii iondo, vajndo ndudo ñuyi ya’a

Ña ntya katyi xanayo, sa ntyoxa’anntsu xo
On ña ña’a, sani-iniyo sa nda, ña ña’a.

Ama ti sani-iniyo sa ntyoxsa’an ntyisantsu
R ndu, ndu sani-iniña’anntsu xo vi tyu
Ama ti tuxo sa du’wa ntyoxa’anntsu xo
Gua’a, wa’a sani-iniña’antsu xo vi tyu.
On ña ña’a vin, du’wa nduku to’onntsu
Noni, noni ka’antsu sa ntyoxa’anntsu tyu.

Epi dananiña’antsu ntsa ki ni’i ta’anndo
Vi, vi katyintsu vi tyu, sa ntyoxa’anntsu
Ii kidaña’antsu xo, san ii kidaña’ayo vi tyu.

 

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Spanish translation by the author:

 

EPIFANIA

Es la primera letra de tu nombre
Pero esta le sigue para hilarla
I sagrada es tu nombre para mi
Fácil de concebir lo sagrado.

A donde saliste tú mi corazón,
No pienses que te quiero menos
I así te seguiré queriendo siempre
¿A dónde iré y nuestros dos hijos?

Tú me aceptaste y yo te acepté
Rápidamente tú y yo somos uno.
Estamos los dos y los dos un corazón
Valora lo bonito que hemos vivido
Importa mucho saberlo y aceptarlo

Ñi de nuestras vidas tuyo y mío
O no, qué crees que es cierto o no.

Apoco dudarías que te quise y te quiero
Rápidamente piensa recuerda mi cariño
Apoco lo dudarías que así fue y así es.
Guardo siempre tu cariño y mi cariño
Orando  me pregunto y así es y así será
No te quiero poco, sino mucho te quiero.

Epi siempre te digo pero con cariño
Para que te acuerdes de mí siempre
Iniciando cada día nuestro amor.

 

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About the author Ubaldo López García

Born in Santiago Apoala on June 1, 1945, Nochixtlán, Oaxaca. He is a certified teacher with a Bachelor’s degree in Primary Education, a Master’s degree in Linguistics, and a PhD in Anthropology from the University of Leiden, Netherlands. He was the founder and first director of the Academy of the Mixtec Language (Ve’e Tu’un Savi); he was commissioned to promote the creation of the Center for Studies and Development of Indigenous Languages of Oaxaca (CEDELIO) and also appointed as its first director. He is the author of several books and articles about the Ñuu Savi (Mixtec) language and culture. He continues to study the sacred books known as the Ñuu Savi Codices. He served as Municipal President and, in that capacity, introduced potable water service to his community of Apoala. Lately, he has served the community in various roles, including: president of the community council and simultaneously regional representative for the Cañada region, community ambulance driver, treasurer of the municipal DIF (National System for Integral Family Development), and Church Prosecutor. He also trained tourism guides and currently teaches the language to children at the Morelos Elementary School in his hometown.