Phone games put Colombia's indigenous cultures in palm of children's hands

A series developed with the help of anthropologists and scientists teaches children about the country’s 87 indigenous groups, who speak 71 languages

Joe Parkin Daniels in Bogotá

@joeparkdan
Fri 5 Jan ‘18 03.00 EST

In a simple wooden hut on a Caribbean beach, a young girl sits at the feet of her grandmother, who is crocheting a brightly coloured shoulder bag whose intricate design draws on the mythology of the Wayuu people.

It’s the opening scene from a smartphone game that seeks to educate Colombian children about their country’s endangered indigenous cultures.

Some 3.4% of the Colombia’s population belongs to 87 different indigenous groups that speak 71 languages.

But experts warn that these diverse cultures are at risk of dying out, threatened by climate change and violent armed groups operating in isolated regions the state has not reached. The National Indigenous Organisation of Colombia (Onic) estimates that 35 ethnic groups are at risk of physical and cultural extermination.

More:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jan/05/smartphone-games-colombia-indigenous-cultures-children