Úgo, a 35‑year‑old creative director and cultural promoter, has spent the past decade building NdishTV into one of Paraguay’s most distinctive digital projects. His mission: to place the Guaraní language at the heart of contemporary online culture. But why Guaraní? Given that it is one of the official languages of Paraguay, it is part of everyday life.
Origins of NdishTV
The project began in 2012 under a different name, initially as a personal experiment. “Back in 2012, I realised Guaraní was almost invisible on the internet; it only appeared in academic or folkloric contexts. I wanted to create a space where it could live in everyday culture,” he says to The Asunción Times.
Úgo, who had worked for years in advertising and art direction, seeks a creative outlet where design, humour, and cultural identity can converge. “When memes exploded online, I thought: why not make them in Guaraní? It was a way to show the language could be funny, modern, and part of global digital trends.”
Guaraní in the digital sphere
For Úgo, the presence of the Guaraní language online is more than symbolic. Content in Guarani challenges the dominance of Spanish in mainstream media. Also, it reflects the lived reality of communities where Guaraní is the primary language. “I did not want Guaraní to remain confined to textbooks or folklore. It deserved to be part of the conversations people were having online every day.”
He notes that while oral use of Guaraní thrives, written visibility remains limited. “Seeing signage or everyday text in Guaraní should not feel unusual,” he argues, highlighting the need for normalisation across platforms and public spaces.
Humour and identity
NdishTV balances two cultural extremes: “Humour reflects who we are as Paraguayans, sometimes nostalgic, sometimes irreverent, but always expressive.” Úgo believes his content is a powerful tool for language diffusion, allowing audiences to embrace Guaraní through entertainment rather than correction. “It is not a source of consultation. It is content, it is fun, and it reflects people as they are. By laughing in Guaraní, we break the barrier of formality. The language becomes part of everyday fun, not just tradition.”
NdishTV’s content frequently reimagines global pop culture through a Paraguayan lens. One of Úgo’s most recognisable formats involves translating famous band names, song titles, and popular expressions into Guaraní, often with humorous or culturally adapted twists.
International artists and viral internet references are transformed into bilingual or trilingual jokes that resonate strongly with the audience. The platform also adapts popular memes into Guaraní, demonstrating that the language can participate naturally in fast-moving digital trends rather than remaining confined to formal or traditional spaces.
Challenges of creation
Technical barriers remain. Standard keyboards lack Guaraní characters, and many popular typefaces do not support nasal vowels or the distinctive puso. Beyond design, translating specialised content, such as medical terminology, can be difficult due to limited references in Guaraní. “The challenge is technical, not cultural. People are ready for Guaraní content, it is the tools that have not caught up.”
Future directions
At the moment, NdishTV owner, Úgo, is focusing on two projects. The first one is a fanzine to showcase past work and a curated book of the platform’s most popular phrases. “Marking ten years felt like the right moment to create a fanzine, a small, handmade publication that celebrates the journey of NdishTV.” Furthermore, he has also launched a music EP, Jahe’o Pop, recorded with producer Kamba, which blends nostalgia with electronic pop. “With Jahe’o Pop, I am exploring nostalgia through electronic pop. It is another way of showing that Guaraní can live in modern soundscapes.”
Looking ahead, he envisions expanding into television or podcasts, offering entertainment in Guaraní to wider audiences. “I am always searching for new spaces where NdishTV can unfold. The goal is simple: make Guaraní visible, audible, and enjoyable everywhere.”
NdishTV exemplifies how digital creativity can revitalise language. By merging humour, design, and cultural pride, Úgo has carved out a space where Guaraní is not secondary but central. His work underscores a broader movement in Paraguay: reclaiming identity through everyday expression, ensuring that Guaraní resonates not only in tradition but also in the fast‑moving world of social media.
To see Úgo’s content, you can check NdishTv on Instagram. In addition, you can look into Úgo’s Instagram for more information.
Also read: Guaraní-Spanish Bilingualism In Paraguay: Why Paraguayan Spanish Sounds So Different
