KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Luci Diego and Mateo Morales Ruben are proud of where they come from. Both were born in the United States but their families are originally from Guatemala.
"I'm excited and glad that people are noticing that indigenous people exist," Diego said. "From a little village called San Rafael."
Their cultures span back thousands of years.
"They speak Akateko there," Ruben said.
Diego's family also speaks that language as well.
"The language is from the Mayans," she said.
But Diego and Ruben said that it is fading.
"The language is starting to die off," Ruben said.
However they still speak it and pass on centuries-old traditions from one generation to another.
"We teach it to my daughter she's three," Diego added.
She's also passing down the culture.
"Our traditional outfits are handmade," she said. "It's a part of your roots and who you are."
For Ruben, his language is a thing of beauty.
"That language, that language we spoke a long time ago it's amazing to know that we still speak it today," he said.
Both Diego and Ruben said they want people to take the time to learn about native and indigenous cultures, their history and their stories.
"I'm happy to show people who indigenous people are our culture and that your traditions might be a slightly different thing but it's beautiful in every way," Diego said.