LOMA GRANDE, Paraguay | When it came time to choose a wedding venue, Margarita Gayoso and her partner Christian Ojeda knew exactly where they wanted to go.

Despite living in Spain, the couple traveled to their long-missed hometown in Paraguay for a ceremony officiated in their ancestors’ language.

“Everyone was crying because everything feels so profound in Guaraní,” Gayoso said. “It’s as if the pronunciation pours out of your soul.”

Guaraní is one of Paraguay’s two official languages alongside Spanish. But linguists warn that fluency among younger generations is slipping, so nationwide preservation efforts are underway.

Many Paraguayans believe that Guaraní carries a deep emotional significance. Yet because the language’s use remains primarily oral, it rarely appears in official docu

See Full Page