The New Testament in Mazatec, Ixcatlán (MZIMZI)

Overview

The New Testament in Mazatec, Ixcatlan, titled Xo̱jo̱n een Nena, was dedicated in 2014 and published by Sociedad Biblica de Mexico (Bible Society of Mexico) in collaboration with Wycliffe Bible Translators, Inc. [1] Ixcatlan Mazatec is one of several Mazatecan language varieties spoken in the mountainous northern region of Oaxaca, Mexico. The Mazatec people are a Mesoamerican indigenous group whose language is notably tonal and can even be communicated through whistling over distances. [2] The translation serves communities in and around the towns of San Pedro Ixcatlan, Chichicazapa, and Nuevo Ixcatlan. [3]

Language and People

Ixcatlán Mazatec (ISO 639-3: mzi) is spoken by approximately 8,590 people in Southern Central Mexico. [Glottolog: ixca1246]

Ixcatlan Mazatec belongs to the Mazatecan branch of the Popolocan language family, which is itself part of the broader Oto-Manguean language family. [3] Like all Mazatec varieties, it is a tonal language. The Mazatec people are predominantly agricultural, cultivating corn, beans, squash, and chilies, and maintain distinctive cultural traditions including the huipil garment worn by women and the mayordomo system of religious festivals. [2]

References