Premios CaSa 2025 Celebrates Indigenous Language Writers

Oaxaca, Mexico — The Secretariat of Culture of the Mexican Government and the National Institute of Fine Arts and Literature (INBAL), through the National Coordination of Literature, alongside various institutions, foundations, and organizations, presented the call for entries for the 2025 Premios CaSa on Tuesday, June 24, at the Graphic Arts Institute of Oaxaca.

The event was attended by Flavio Sosa Villavicencio, head of the Secretariat of Cultures and Arts of Oaxaca; Daniel Brena, director general of the San Agustín Arts Center; Sara López Ellitsgaard, president of the Friends of IAGO and the Manuel Álvarez Bravo Photographic Center Civil Association; Alma Rosa Espíndola Galicia, acting director general of the National Institute of Indigenous Languages (INALI); Michael Swanton, director of the Juan de Córdova Research Library; and Octavio León Vásquez, representing the Institute of Original Languages of Oaxaca.

Recognizing Indigenous Literary Talent

The awards will honor writers in eight indigenous languages: Zapotec, Mixtec, Mixe, Chatino, Triqui, Chinantec, Mazatec, and Ombeayiüts. Prizes will be awarded in five categories: poetry, narrative (short story or novel), song, children’s literature, and texts based on oral tradition. A total of 40 prizes of 30,000 pesos each will be granted as part of an interinstitutional effort to support literary creation and strengthen indigenous languages.

Since their founding in 2010 by Oaxacan artist Francisco Toledo, the Premios CaSa have received 2,284 submissions, including 1,027 in Zapotec, 359 in Mixtec, 254 in Mazatec, 300 in Mixe, 149 in Chinantec, 67 in Triqui, 111 in Ombeayiüts, and 17 in Chatino. To date, 199 creators have received a Premio CaSa, with a total of 5,970,000 pesos awarded to winners.

Institutional Collaboration

The awards have been supported by various organizations, foundations, and institutions. Among them, INBAL joined in 2020 to strengthen literature in indigenous languages, calling for submissions in Énná (Mazatec) with a contribution of 150,000 pesos and payment for the respective jurors.

The institutions convening the 2025 Premios CaSa include:

• The Secretariat of Culture of the Mexican Government, through INALI and INBAL’s National Coordination of Literature
• The General Directorate of Popular, Indigenous, and Urban Cultures
• The Government of the State of Oaxaca, through the Secretariat of Interculturality, Indigenous Peoples, and Afro-Mexican Communities (SIPCIA) and the Secretariat of Cultures and Arts (SECULTA)
• The San Agustín Arts Center
• The Friends of the Graphic Arts Institute of Oaxaca and the Manuel Álvarez Bravo Photographic Center Civil Association
• The Alfredo Harp Helú Oaxaca Foundation
• Editorial Calamus

A Platform for Indigenous Voices

Daniel Brena, director general of the San Agustín Arts Center (CaSa), emphasized that the Premios CaSa are part of a broader strategy initiated by Francisco Toledo, which also included the creation of literature and educational materials in indigenous languages to support teaching.

“It has emerged as a platform for these creators; many of them continue winning other awards, leading workshops, or publishing books. This truly supports diverse creators and often propels their careers,” Brena explained.

Evolution of the Awards

The Premios CaSa, championed by artist Francisco Toledo, promote literary creation in indigenous languages. The first call for entries was issued in December 2010, with winners announced in March 2011. Since January 2012, the awards have been granted annually.

Initially, submissions were limited to the Zapotec language and included three categories: poetry, song, and narrative. In 2013, the children’s literature category was added under the name Premio Mario Molina, in honor of the late Zapotec writer Mario Molina.

Complete submission guidelines are available on the San Agustín Arts Center’s website. https://casa.oaxaca.gob.mx/?page_id=11035