Kutxi — Voices from Endangered Language Communities

Self-Identity: Laz and Upper Sorbian

In this episode, we continue our conversation on self-identity with Okan Dale, a member of the Laz diaspora, and Nadja Šołćic (Scholze), an Upper Sorbian speaker from Germany. Together, they reflect on what it means to belong to communities whose identities are often shaped by language, history, place, and diaspora. Nadja shares her perspective on being Sorbian in Germany, while Okan speaks about navigating Laz identity away from the homeland and identifying differently depending on context. The conversation also touches on cultural practices that carry identity across generations, from Laz clanship and family roots to Sorbian traditions, traditional attire, and the importance of Easter as one of the most meaningful holidays in Sorbian culture. A conversation about identity, belonging, heritage, and the many ways we carry our communities with us. Music by AudioCoffee(Denys Kyshchuk): https://www.audiocoffee.net/ [https://www.audiocoffee.net/]

Community Driven Projects: Dagbani and Kurdish

This episode focuses on the power of community-led language work and the people creating meaningful projects from within their own communities. We speak with Çiya Tabar, a Kurdish community member based in Bilbao, and Mohammad Kamal-Deen Fuseini Dnshitobu, a Dagbamba language activist from Ghana. Çiya shares his passion for Kurdish language and culture, while Dnshitobu discusses his work with Wikimedia to support the digitization of Dagbani and related languages, helping make them more visible and accessible online. Together, we reflect on what it means to build language initiatives from the ground up, how digital platforms can support minoritized languages, and the unexpected cultural connections that emerge along the way — including, perhaps, the idea of a future Kurdish–Dagbamba Fire Festival. Music by AudioCoffee(Denys Kyshchuk): https://www.audiocoffee.net/ [https://www.audiocoffee.net/]

Revitalization Projects: Karelian, Laz and Wolastoqey

In this episode of Kutxi, we explore some of the language revitalization projects taking shape in our communities and the work people are doing to keep their languages strong. What kinds of projects are being created in different communities? What does it mean to create spaces where people can learn, use, and reconnect with their languages? And how do we hold both the joy of seeing learners grow and the frustration of working against larger challenges? This episode features Oluwi Aubin, a member of the Wolastoqewiyik community and one of the founders of Kehkimin, the first Wolastoqey land-based immersion school; Nastja Lebedeva, a Karelian teacher and tutor involved in online Karelian and Veps revitalization work through Karjalaikad; and Okan Dale, a member of the Laz diaspora working on Laz curriculum design, language technology resources, and creative tools for Laz learners. Together, they reflect on teaching, curriculum development, online language spaces, community-based revitalization, and the hopes, challenges, and doubts that can come with supporting endangered and minoritized languages. As with all episodes of Kutxi, this conversation brings together personal perspectives, not definitive representations of entire communities. Oluwi’s socials / projects (Instagram): @oluwi7 [https://www.instagram.com/oluwi7/] @kehkimin.immersion.school [https://www.instagram.com/kehkimin.immersion.school/?hl=en] Nastja’s project (Instagram): @karjalaikad [https://www.instagram.com/karjalaikad/] Minecraft Endangered Languages mod: For the Minecraft language mod, currently available for Laz and Wolastoqey, including the GitHub download link and installation video tutorial - message us on instagram or send us an email if you’d like to get involved: https://lazuri.org/resources [https://lazuri.org/resources] Music credit: Music by AudioCoffee / Denys Kyshchuk: https://www.audiocoffee.net/ [https://www.audiocoffee.net/]

Self-Identity: Basque, Buryat, and Lower Sorbian

In the first episode of Kutxi, we explore self-identity and what it means to belong to a minoritized language community. How do language, culture, and belonging shape the way we see ourselves? And what happens when identity is rooted not only in ethnicity or place, but also in lived experience, community, and commitment to keeping a language alive? This episode features Luka Golinski, a Lower Sorbian speaker, Radna Poskhodiev, a Buryat language activist, and Maddi Kintana, a Basque speaker from Donostia. Together, they reflect on language, heritage, belonging, and the different ways identity is lived and understood across endangered and minoritized language communities. As with all episodes of Kutxi, this conversation brings together personal perspectives, not definitive representations of entire communities. Luka's Instagram: * @lukalubosc * @kolektiw.wakuum * @archiwluzyca * @suchenundfinden_film Radna's Socials: * @svich.empire (Instagram) * @Poskhodiev Radna (Facebook) * @svichempire (Youtube) Maddi's Socials: * @madmadnessk (Instagram) * @ladymadimort (TikTok) * @aek_korrika (Euskara Lessons for Adults) * @sutan.borroka.transfeminista (Transfeminist group bilingual basque/french) Music by AudioCoffee(Denys Kyshchuk): https://www.audiocoffee.net/ [https://www.audiocoffee.net/] "Serbski Cowboy" design from the incredibly talented @_typus_ (Instagram) [https://www.instagram.com/_typus_/?hl=en]