Kaqchikel language
Mesoamerican language
The Kaqchikel language (in modern orthography; formerly also spelled Cakchiquel or Cachiquel) is an Indigenous Mesoamerican language and a member of the Quichean–Mamean branch of the Mayan languages family. It is spoken by the Indigenous Kaqchikel people in central Guatemala.
While languages of the Mayan family are not mutually intelligible, Kaqchikel is closest to the Kʼicheʼ (Quiché) and Tzʼutujil languages.
Kaqchikel is taught in public schools through Guatemala's intercultural bilingual education programs.
History
Before conquest
Kaqchikel is spoken by the Indigenous Maya in Central Guatemala. The Mayan civilization dates back to the Pre-classic period (2000 BC to 300 AD). Geographically, the Maya expanded from Mexico, Belize and Guatemala. This changed between 900 AD and when the Spanish arrived. Their settlement moved west and into the highlands of Guatemala. Archaeological evidence shows suggestions of Kaqchikel living in Iximcheʼ, which today is located near Tecpán Guatemala.
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This entry incorporates text from “Kaqchikel language” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.