Cristina Calderón Death: What Is The Yaghan Language And Why Was It Spoken By Only One Person?

Cristina Calderon, the last native speaker of Chile’s indigenous Yaghan language, has died at the age of 93.

Her family announced her death and described it as a blow for a dwindling culture at South America’s extreme southern tip.

Until she died, Abuela Cristina, as many knew her, bided her time making traditional reed baskets, and sharing the Yaghan language and culture with those around her.

In 2017, Calderón declared herself the last speaker of Yaghan, which has no written form.

“I’m the last speaker of Yaghan. Others can understand it but don’t speak it or know it as I do”, she had said.

Calderón’s commitment to preserving her language earned her recognition as a “living human treasure” by the Chilean government in 2009.

What Is The Yaghan Language?
Yahgan was one of the indigenous languages of Tierra del Fuego, spoken by the Yaghan people. It was regarded as a language isolate, although some linguists have attempted to relate it to Kawésqar and Chono.

Yahgan was also spoken briefly on Keppel Island in the Falkland Islands at a missionary settlement.

Why Was The Yaghan LanguageSpoken By Only One Person?
Yaghan was extinct, and the number of speakers has declined sharply since the 19th century. One reason for the decline is the drastic reduction in the size of the indigenous populations who historically spoke these languages.