Cultural Survival recognizes and supports Indigenous community radio stations that inform and support their communities in their own languages with culturally relevant information to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Many community radio stations are continuing the responsibilities despite the risks that this pandemic represents for journalists and broadcasters. Indigenous community radio stations are often the only lifelines during emergencies and they have proven to be essential.
In April and May, Cultural Survival funded 17 grants to 21 Indigenous community radio stations in Mexico, Costa Rica, Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua, and Ecuador from our Community Media Program COVID-19 Emergency Fund. These grants aim to support radio productions on prevention measures and community coping mechanisms in the face of COVID-19 in Indigenous languages and Spanish.
Stations' topics of interests for programming include: are community participation and decision making in the face of COVID-19; access to water; sanitation, economic and food sovereignty; exchange of products (barter) and community markets; food banks; planting basics; community and mental health; preventing the spread of the virus; taking care of elders and children; artistic expressions; news, including relevant analysis, and shedding light on corruption during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Our grant partners are:
Radio Cultural La Voz de Talamanca, Amubri, Limón, Costa Rica (Bri Bri Nation) and Radio Cultural Maleku, Guatuso, Alajuela, Costa Rica (Nación Maleku)
Radio Cultural La Voz de Talamanca and the Radio Cultural Maleku, have the collaboration of the Costa Rican Institute of Radio Teaching (ICER) and its community leaders, that support strengthening of communication and dissemination of microprograms. In the framework of "mitigating the effects of the COVID19 pandemic" The productions carried out revolve around food sovereignty, community health, social aid, a good economy and entrepreneurship. These productions will be produced in the Maleku, Bri Bri and Spanish languages aimed for Indigenous people of the region.
Radio Talamanca has a coverage that covers the populations of Talamanca, Guápiles, Changuinola, Puerto Viejo, Los Ángeles de Cabecar and Bribri, with a total population of 139,261 inhabitants. Maleku Cultural Radio has coverage in the towns of Guatuso, Bijagua and Canalete, with a total population of 27,798 inhabitants, both radios transmit from the 88.3 FM frequency and generate content of relevance to the community in the current context.
Contact:
Email Radio Talamanca: radiotalamanca@gmail.com
Email Radio Maleku: radiomaleku@gmail.com
Facebook: Radio Cultural La Voz de Talamanca
Hamalali NGC Radio, Dangriga, Belize (Garifuna Nation)
Radio Hamalali Garinagu is a communication channel for the Garifuna nation of Belize, Guatemala and Honduras, currently its facilities are located in southern Belize, the contents of the radio station can be accessed on the internet. The Garifuna are around 5,000 members residing in the Stann Creek and Toledo Districts in southern Belize. The radio has reported that no cases of COVID19 have been detected but that the population in the rural area live in vulnerability due to the lack of access to health.
With this grant, the radio production (Garifuna and Spanish) will be made with the contents of community participation, water accessibility, economic sovereignty, food banks, prevention and care, as well as collective rights in times of confinement. This broadcast is available in the Garifuna, Q’eqchi ’and English Indigenous Languages and is directed at the Garifuna people and the Mayan Q’eqchi’ people.
Contact:
Email: hamalaliradio@yahoo.com
Facebook: Hamalali Radio Station
Radio Cultural de Boruca, Cantón de Buenos Aires en la provincia de Puntarena, Pueblo Boruca, Costa Rica
Radio Cultural de Boruca, Cantón de Buenos Aires, Puntarena, Costa Rica (Boruca Nation)
The Radio Boruca has promoted education, culture and language in the Boruca community through the 88.1 MHZ FM frequency. In the Cantón of Buenos Aires the estimated population is 46,837 habitants and 64% are Indigenous. The radio broadcasts the campaign "Ure Rare ... for a healthy and caring community” in times of COVID19, which seeks to create awareness among people through cultural belonging through messages of prevention and protection from contamination. The community can respond to the pandemic and the importance of caring for the water.
Radio Boruca has minimized its hours of operation due to the lack of funds to operate, however, they continue to face the community as a main means of communication and dissemination during the pandemic. Currently there is a list of 1,000 people in need, which makes them feel abandoned by the Costa Rican State.
Contact:
Email: radioboruca@gmail.com tricobml@gmail.com
Facebook: Radio Cultural Boruca 88.1 FM
Listen to the situation of Radio Boruca by Carlos Morales, director of this radio: https://derechos.culturalsurvival.org/entrevista-con-lider-indigena-brunca-de-costa-rica-en-marco-al-covid19
Radio La Voz de Mi Gente, Tacuba, department of Ahuachapan, El Salvador (Nahuat Pipil Nation)
The Radio La Voz de Mi Gente (the voice of my people), aims to accompany, train, make visible and claim the rights of Indigenous Peoples through the communication of their ancestral worldview and cultural expressions. The radio has supported coverage and broadcasting of the fight for water in the seven communities of Tacuba, Ahuachapán since 2010, as a result of which community leaders have been criminalized. The water previously tried to be privatized by the mayor and was sold to the ANDA company but it was not achieved due to the struggle and resistance of the communities.
Through the creation of mini programs and radio productions, the radio wishes to raise awareness and sensitize the municipality about the situation in the environment resulting from COVID19 as well as the current situation in the communities, the importance of water for everyone and the use of preventive measures. The radio is backed by the Tacuzalco Foundation and is tuned to the 92.1 FM frequency. This means of communication reaches up to 32,000 listeners from 22 caserios and 18 communities in the municipality of Ahuachapan.
Contact:
Email: galiciamarcelo6@gmail.com
Facebook: La Voz de Mi Gente 92.1FM
Radio Comunitaria Stereo Acodim Nan Pix ,San Idelfonso Ixtahuacan, department of Huehuetenango, Guatemala (Maya Mam Nation)
Community Radio Nan Pix began communication in 2007 with a staff of twenty-five volunteers. Due to the context of prevention and given the risk that COVID19 presents in Indigenous communities, the radio will make radio spots through a campaign on economic sovereignty and community health, fair prices for basic products, prevention of contagion and care for our elders. and childhood. This campaign will be translated into Mam and Spanish language.
The is aired on 97.7 FM frequency band and is represented by the Maya Mam Community Association for Integral Development (ACODIM), its coverage has a reach in the municipalities of San Ildefonso Ixtahuacán, Cuilco, Colotenango, San Gaspar Ixchil, Santa Bárbara, Santiago Chimaltenango, San Pedro Necta, San Sebastián, San Rafael Petzal and San Juan Atitán in the department of Huehuetenango; and in San Marcos in San Miguel Ixtahuacán and Concepción Tutuapa. It has an approximate audience of 200,000 listeners, of which 80% is Maya Mam.
Contact:
Email: acodim@hotmail.com
Website: www.acodim.org
Radio Comunitaria la Voz de Racantacaj, Cantón Racantacaj, Sector Tzocab, Nahuala, Sololá, Guatemala (Maya K’iche and Maya Tz’utujil Nation)
The Community Radio La Voz de Racantacaj has the support of the Sololateca Association of Women for Integral Development (ASOMUJERDI) and the ancestral authorities of the canton. This seeks to consolidate its own forms of organization. Given the situation of COVID19, the radio produces radio material to broadcast to the population and promote knowledge about the pandemic on community health, prevention of the spread of the virus, specialized advice and care of our elders, as well as the protection of our children are addressed to encourage the community to take preventive measures.
The Community Radio La Voz de Racantacaj is tuned to the 87.7 FM frequency band and reaches 55,000 inhabitants in the Altiplano, reaching the municipalities of Nahualá, Santa Catarina Ixtahuacán, Santa Lucía Utatlán, being Maya K 'peoples iche 'and Santa María Visitación, Santa Clara la Laguna, San Pablo, San Marcos la Laguna, San Juan la Laguna, Santiago Atitlán, the latter are Maya Tz'utujil peoples.
Contact:
Email: vickytzaj@gmail.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/radiolavozderacantacaj
Community Radio Naköj, Santo Domingo Xenacoj, Sacatepéquez, Guatemala (Maya Kaqchikel Nation)
Community Radio Naköj has been working since 2013 and responds to the pandemic by sharing prevention measures in a region that has been identified as a regional epicenter of COVID19 cases, in the department of Sacatepéquez and Chimaltenango 60.2% of cases are counted and detected. Due to this urgency, the radio will produce content on food sovereignty, the use of masks, care for the most vulnerable and the economic strengthening of the community as measures of care for the Indigenous population. The radio also stands in solidarity with the returning migrants and creatively broadcasts a radio theater program in prevention of stigmatization against them.
The productions will be carried out in Kaqchikel and Spanish languages that will be shared to social networks and the internet. This radio is tuned to the frequency 99.1 FM of the department of Sacatepéquez that reaches a coverage of 45 km around and includes parts of the communities of Santa María Cauque, Santiago Sacatepequez, Sumpango Sacatepéquez and San Juan Sacatepéquez. The project benefits 7,000 radio listeners of the Mayan Kaqchikel people.
Contact:
Email: radionakoj@gmail.com
Website: www.radionakoj.org
Facebook: @radionakoj
Consejo Cívico De Organizaciones Populares E Indígenas De Honduras – (COPINH), Intibucá; Honduras (Lenca Nation)
The Civic Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras - COPINH and the 5 community radio stations, Radio Un Nuevo Sol Rebelde, Radio Guarajambala, Radio La hojita, Radio Kamolbe, Radio Sugua of the Mesoamerican Canal Central project, that make up a network of community radio organizations that function as a communication platform designed to inform remote areas. Community radio stations have built a political space for training and with an empowerment approach for Lenca Indigenous women in response to the context of absolute confinement.
In the times of COVID19, COPINH radio stations propose to create a creative, dynamic and informative training space about the reality that is lived in the communities, promoting solidarity, prevention measures, and community economy as well as the importance of articulating spaces between radio stations, organizations and social movements. They also seek to strengthen mechanisms for denouncing the oppression women experience during confinement and corruption. The radios have coverage in the municipalities of Intibucá, Lempira, La Paz and parts of Comayagua and Santa Bárbara, with a total of 110,000 listenership and followers on their website, social media and radio stations.
Contact:
Website: //copinh.org
Twitter: @copinhhonduras
Facebook: Copinh Intibucá
Radio comunitaria Sugua 100.9 fm
Community Radio Ji’tontik, Basolo, municipality Ocosingo, Chiapas Mexico (Tzeltal of Abasolo Nation)
Ji’tontik means Sandy Stones in the Tzeltal language and represents a characteristic custom of the well-known “temazcal” steam bath. The consolidation of the radio was a joint effort of 23 neighboring communities and the Tzeltal communities of Abasolo to create a space for exchange where the right to free expression and free communication was exercised allowing Indigenous Peoples to be spokesmen of their own worldview, in valuation of their customs and traditions of the Original Peoples, in a space where the strengthening of strategic experiences is generated for the enjoyment of their sovereignty.
This space that opens the doors of communication has become the center of technical and journalistic training in order to strengthen radio communication channels. In times of the pandemic it has been a great ally for communities, radio programs and productions address prevention, protection issues, raise awareness of best practices and strengthen ancient practices such as food sovereignty in a creative space that is carried out through interviews with artists. and speakers of the Tzeltal Indigenous language, a preventive response that would prevent the spread of the virus, the productions will be in the Indigenous Tzeltal of Abasolo language and Spanish.
Contact:
Email: cataleya_28@hotmail.com , lopezvelazquezjesus002@gmail.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/radiojitontik/posts/
Website: https://jitontik.wordpress.com/radio/
Radio Indígena Comunitaria Estéreo Lluvia Xhtut, Municipio de Villa de Tututepec, Costa de Oaxaca, Pueblo Mixteca y Chatino, México
Radio Estéreo Lluvia is a community space that supports the development of community media and the use of quality information to reach Indigenous rights. Given the latent emergency of mitigating the risk of COVID19, radio capsules will be created in the indigenous language Chatino and Spanish with information on prevention, the use of plants and traditional knowledge to reinforce the immune defenses of our bodies and mental strength. As well as the importance of the protection of elderly people. A collective wisdom to encourage community organization in mitigating response to the economic effects of the pandemic.
The radio transmits from the 106.1 FM frequency and the signal covers 70% of the municipality of Villa de Tututepec with a population of 43,913 inhabitants with 15% of the Chatina being Mixteca and Afro-descendant Indigenous people. It reaches the neighboring communities of Jamiltepec and Tataltepec de Valdez.
Contact:
Email: kbroquev@gmail.com, carlosmatajiz@gmail.com
Facebook: Estéreo Lluvia
Radio Juchari Uinapekua, Santa Fe De La Laguna, municipality Quiroga, Michoacan, Mexico (P’urhépecha Nation)
Radio "Juchari Uinapekua,” which means "Our Strength" enhances customs and traditions through the language and music of P’urhépecha, as well as the knowledge of the community. In response to the pandemic, the radio started prevention broadcasts with the support of the community doctor and nurses from the rural clinic. The COVID19 campaign will transmit information radio capsules in the P'urhépecha language and Spanish on ensuring access to water, care measures for wells and water, fair prices for basic products, barter or community markets and reports on the local situation with recent information.
The transmission of radio programs is done through the 106.1 FM frequency, with an audience of 25,000 people from the municipalities of San Andrés Tzirondaro, San Jerónimo Purenchecuaro, Tarerio, la Pacanda, Espirutu, Opongio, Puacuaro and Santa Fe de La Laguna, the radio also has an audience of P'urhépecha migrants who are within the Republic of Mexico and abroad in the United States.
Contact:
Website: http://radiojuchariuinapekua.radiostream321.com
Email: uandakua@yahoo.com
Facebook: Radio "Juchári Uinápekua". Ueámuo, Michoacán, México
Radio Jënpoj, Casa Comunal, municipality of Santa María Tlahuitoltepec, Oaxaca, Mexico (Mixe-Ayuujk Nation)
Radio Jënpoj, revitalizes the Ayuujk language and community participation between women and men, through the transmission of educational and cultural issues. In response to the pandemic, the radio is producing a campaign on issues of access and security to water, economic sovereignty, in which fair prices and barter are encouraged in community markets, planting of basic products, prevention and care for the elderly and childhood, especially the development of local reports on the community health situation and the latest news of the pandemic and COVID19.
The 107.9 FM radio frequency has coverage in the Zapotec territories of the Isthmus Valley, the northern highlands, as well as a part of the Chinantec territory and most of the Ayuujk territory. It has an audience of around 50,000 listeners.
Contact:
Email: contactos@jenpojradio.info
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jenpojradio/
Radio Ximai Civil Communications Association, municipality of Santiago Anaya, Hidalgo, Mexico (Ñhañu Nation)
Radio Ximai offers a free and accessible space for the defense of the rights of citizens in Hidalgo. The impact of the pandemic reflects a rise in the prices of products, and the decline in remittances from family members who work in the United States of America. Therefore, from the radio and through the grant that Cultural Survival has awarded, radio materials have been produced to raise awareness and maintain fair prices, encourage exchanges / barters, strengthen community solidarity, and promote citizen participation, taking into account the importance of implementing personal, family and community prevention measures, as well as gender violence, in protection of our colleagues.
The radio capsules are being produced in the Ñhañu Indigenous language – Spanish. The radio frequency 103.5 FM XHSCBZ, covers the municipalities of the Mezquital valley, Santiago de Anaya, San Salvador, Actopan, Francisco I, Madero, San Agustín Tlaxiaca, Meztitlan, Ixmiquilpan and Cardonal with approximately 30,000 radio listeners.
Contact:
Email: ximaicomunicaciones@gmail.com
Facebook: Ximai Radioo
Radios Yapti Tasba Bila Baikra (the voice of our mother earth), Bilwi, Pueblo Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua (Mayangna-Tuahka Nation and afrodescendentes)
Radio Yapti Tasba Bila Baikra is the name given to three radios with the same name in three different territories in the northern Caribbean coast of Nicaragua. The Miskitu people affiliated with an Indigenous political movement, called Yatama, use the power of radio to organize, inform, entertain, and empower Indigenous communities in the northern Caribbean area of Nicaragua about their rights. On this occasion, the radio benefited was the radio located in Puerto Cabeza who will be sharing resources with the in Waspam.
90% of radio productions are made in the Miskitu Indigenous language and 10% in Spanish. The radio response to the emergency of COVID19 will produce radio spots in Miskitu, Spanish and English Creole. The radio has a coverage scope that covers the municipalities of Puerto Cabezas, Waspam Río Coco and Prinzapolka, which have a population of 80,519 inhabitants and 90% of Indigenous presence representing 11 Indigenous territories, which are, the Karata Territory, Tawira, Twi Yahbra, Twi Waupasa, Tasba Pri, Prinzu Auhya un, Amasau, Wangki Twi Tasba Raya, Wangki Maya, Wangki Li Aubra Wangki Li Lamni, and Kipla Sait Tani Tasbaika Kum.
Contact:
Email: juanherbaciowhite@gmail.com
Facebook: Radio Yapti Tasba Bila Baikra, Prilakay la Fundación Egdolina Thoma
Radio Ampara Su, Canton San Lorenzo, Esmeralda province, Ecuador (Awa Nation)
Radio Ampara Su is the community radio of the Awá people, its name translates in "Four Worlds" in the Awapit Indigenous language and represents the Awá Indigenous worldview, the four worlds that represent the inhabitants of the earth. The radio began in 2014 as a means of communication to promote social cohesion and eradication of discrimination through the revitalization of the Awá worldview and values, in the recovery of the culture of peace. In a space of promotion for the new generation in which the teachings of the elderly heard and the self-determination of the cultural, worldview and territory of the Awá peoples is strengthened.
The radio spots and productions are about the role of Indigenous guardianship in the territory, traditional medicine, territorial autonomy, the role of healers, conflict resolution with their own justice, education, and food sovereignty in Awapit - Spanish in the time of COVID19 . Radio Ampara Su is tuned to the 90.7 FM frequency and covers the territory of the Awá nationality, which is made up of 8,000 inhabitants and covers the provinces of Carchi, Esmeraldas, Imbabura and Sucumbíos.
Contact:
Email: territorioawa98@gmail.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RadioAmparaSu90.7FM/
Radio Tekuani & Radio Altepee, Pueblo Nahua and Nuntaj+yi, Veracruz, Mexico
Radio Tekuani and Radio Altepe operate from Tatahuicapan, Santa Marta Mountain, south of Veracruz. The Indigenous nations they serve are Nahuas and Nuntaj+yi and mestizo peasant communities. The radios broadcast information about the defense of territories, Indigenous Peoples rights and the construction of good life systems to recreate collective imagery rooted in Indigenous cultures and looking to the future as an alternative way to the dominant capitalist, patriarchal and colonial system. Radios are a tool for strengthening the Regional Indigenous Movement in Defense and Respect for Life, where both radios are members. Both radios have been working in an articulated way, particularly these days, due to Coronavirus confinement.
The production will be created in Nahua and Spanish on Community Health, National and Local Situation of COVID-19, Human and collective rights in times of state of siege and isolation, care for our mother earth, economic solidarity and gender relations.
https://www.facebook.com/RadioTekuani
https://www.facebook.com/ColectivoAltepee1
