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That is where projects like Lingua Libre, a Wikimedia Foundation-funded platform to record oral languages, come in. The archive, run by Wikimedia France, opened in August 2018 and already contains more than 100,000 recordings in 43 languages that, otherwise, could have been lost forever.

Back in Guatemala, Miguel ngel Oxlaj Kumez is aware that the challenges ahead remain difficult and complex, but he is not discouraged. We see the challenges as opportunities, he says. In the workshops, I raised the question Why is it necessary to have my language on the internet? And an activist turns it over and tells me Why shouldnt I have my indigenous language on the internet?."

He is currently working with other online indigenous activists to create Kaqchikel Mayan versions of Wikipedia, WhatsApp and Duolingo. Five years ago, I did not imagine my language on the internet, and there are people who still dont think of that possibility.

In the meantime, hes glad that theres a growing network of indigenous speakers fighting to get their languages online.

"Now it is in the hands of this network of activists," he adds. "And we all have the dream of making it happen.

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The many languages missing from the internet - BBC News