“Mamá Nieves, my grandmother born in Huancavelica, Peru, is a Quechua speaker. She grew up facing discrimination from society for speaking her indigenous language. That’s why I sing in Quechua: to reclaim the indigenous language of millions of people who, like my grandmother, have been silenced and marginalized. My music is an act of resistance and pride, a way to restore power to our roots and ensure that the voices of our ancestral cultures are heard and respected on the global stage.”

Araceli Poma

QUECHUA

Quechua, also known as ‘Runa simi,’ is the most widely spoken native language in South America and is used in various regions of Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, Chile, and Argentina. In Peru, Quechua is among the 48 existing native languages.

Araceli Poma comes from a Quechua-speaking family. Her grandmother Nieves, born in the Andes of Peru, is a Quechua speaker who grew up facing discrimination for speaking her Indigenous language. Like many families of that generation, Araceli’s parents chose not to teach Quechua at home, fearing their children would face the same prejudice. Over time, this pattern of silence has contributed to the loss of many Indigenous languages across the continent.

Yet the language survived through song. Araceli grew up listening to lullabies in Quechua from her grandmother—melodies that planted a seed of connection that would later become the heart of her artistic mission.

Today, proud of her roots and based in New York, Araceli uses her music as an act of resistance and reclamation. She sings in Quechua to restore power to a language that was silenced, connecting with Indigenous and Latin American communities who share this heritage. Through her albums, performances, and musical documentaries, she is part of a growing movement of artists ensuring that Quechua is not only preserved but celebrated—heard and respected on the global stage.

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