Paraguay Photos -- Enduring Voices Project, Endangered Languages, Map, Facts, Photos, Videos -- National Geographic

Hariptos and Totse
Photograph by Chris Rainier
Hariptos (Alejandro Garcia) and Totse (Anita Perez) of the Ybytoso Ishir. Puerto Diana, Paraguay
Crispulo Martinez
Photograph by Chris Rainier
Kafote (Crispulo Martinez) of the Ybytoso Ishir. Puerto Diana, Paraguay.
Interview With Baaso
Photograph by Chris Rainier
Members of the Enduring Voices team (Gregory Anderson, David Harrison, Alejandro Chaskielberg, Anna-Luisa Daigneault) interview Baaso (Gaspar Paja) an elder of the Ybytoso Ishir. Puerto Diana, Paraguay.
Enduring Voices Team
Photograph by Chris Rainier
Members of the Enduring Voices team in Puerto Diana, Paraguay
Language Teaching Materials
Photograph by Chris Rainier
Reproducing language teaching materials for the Ybytoso Ishir. Karcha Bahlut, Paraguay.
Baaso and Alvin Paja Balbuena
Photograph by Chris Rainier
Baaso (Gaspar Paja) and Alvin Paja Balbuena of the Ybytoso Ishir. Puerto Diana, Paraguay.
Women of Maka
Photograph by Chris Rainier
Women of Maka—Kiamhasa, Tsuunki, Chibokoti and Tisjuteyki (left to right) of the Maka, near Asunción, Paraguay. Traditional women's dresses: Wahtlas.
Men of Maka
Photograph by Chris Rainier
Men of Maka—Yiuwhem, Othem, Yahay, Tonton, Tsiyokod (left to right) of the Maka, near Asunción, Paraguay. Ostrich feather headress: Wihtiwat; deer and ostrich shoes: Witsotelahtih; ostrich feather skirts: Wahtlas.
Elders of Maka
Photograph by Chris Rainier
Elders of the Maka community, near Asunción, Paraguay. Ostrich feather headress: Wihtiwat; deer and ostrich shoes: Witsotelahtih; ostrich feather skirts: Wahtlas; Shaker instruments: Naklintax; Ankle feathers: Wihtkatsikilay.
Tonton
Photograph by Chris Rainier
Tonton with Yahay, Tsiyokod, and Othem (left to right) of the Maka, near Asunción, Paraguay. Feather headbands: Wihtiwat.
Yahay, Maka Elder
Photograph by Chris Rainier
Yahay, a Maka elder, near Asunción, Paraguay
Othem, Maka Elder
Photograph by Chris Rainier
Othem, a Maka elder, in traditional hunting camouflage near Asunción, Paraguay
School Teacher Alejo Barras
Photograph by Chris Rainier
School teacher Alejo Barras of the Ybytoso Ishir. Karcha Bahlut, Paraguay.
Shaman Initiates
Photograph by Chris Rainier
Speakers of the Ybytoso Ishir language, two young Shaman initiates, called Uiyaxos. Puerto Diana, Paraguay. Shaman dance: Oloo-ta.
Shaman Ramon Zeballos of the Ybytoso Ishir
Photograph by Chris Rainier
Shaman Ramon Zeballos of the Ybytoso Ishir dances. Puerto Diana, Paraguay. Shaman: Consaha; Shaman's runner: Ulyaxo; Shaman's dress: Consahe-Enaalazuo; Feathered head dress: Pool; Shaman's feather bundle: Batita; Dance ritual: Oloo-ta Dancing ground: Arraa.
Speakers of Toba-Qom, Paraguay
Photograph by Chris Rainier
Yaanoche, Tayo, Shetare, Kaliese, and Yorde (clockwise from top left), speakers of Toba-Qom in Cerrito, Paraguay. Male and female headdresses: Daage; ostrich adornments: Manetobe.
Members of the Enduring Voices Team
Photograph by Alejandro Chaskielberg
Members of the Enduring Voices team (left to right David Harrison, Anna-Luisa Daigneault, Gregory Anderson) interview Señor Tso Fai, a speaker of Maka, near Asunción, Paraguay.

Vanishing Voices Pictures

By the next century nearly half of the roughly 7,000 languages spoken on Earth will likely disappear, as communities abandon native tongues in favor of English, Mandarin, or Spanish. What is lost when a language goes silent?
Cultural Revival in Europe’s Only Buddhist Region

The Enduring Voices team visited the Republic of Kalmykia, in European Russia, where they found evidence of a strong cultural revitalization among the younger generation, expressed in song, dance, poetry, and renewed use of the Kalmyk language.
NG Explorers Help Record Xyzyl Language

The Enduring Voices team reports back on the Xyzyl (pronounced “hizzle”) language from the Republic of Xakasia northwest of Mongolia. They will be working with the Xyzyl people to create a talking dictionary and grammar to help them preserve their ancient tongue.
Arunachal Pradesh, India Expedition 2011

Read the full report from the Enduring Voices team's 2011 expedition to Arunachal Pradesh, India, where they visited five endangered language communities.

Meet the Team

Gregory Anderson, Linguist

Dr. Gregory D. S. Anderson is a linguist who is director of the Living Tongues Institute for Endangered Languages, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the documentation, revitalization, and maintenance of endangered languages.
David Harrison, Linguist

K. David Harrison is a linguist and leading specialist in the study of endangered languages. He co-leads the Enduring Voices project at National Geographic and is an associate professor at Swarthmore College.
Chris Rainier, Photographer

Chris Rainier is considered one of the leading documentary photographers working today. His life's mission is to put on film both the remaining natural wilderness and indigenous cultures around the globe and to use images to create social change.

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Talking Dictionaries

Hear the world's rarest languages for yourself in the Talking Dictionaries that the Enduring Voices Project has created with various communities around the world.

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Ethics Statement

Ethics Statement

View the Enduring Voices Project ethics statement.

The Last Speakers

The Last Speakers

The poignant chronicle of K. David Harrison’s expeditions around the world to meet with last speakers of vanishing languages.

"The Last Speakers" is now published in Japanese. Read the interview with Dr. Harrison here and purchase the Japanese edition here.