Mapuche Summer School Report (January 2011) - PUBLIC - UNPO

Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization

UNPO Concept Note

Title (11 point, bold, right aligned): Subtitle (11 point, bold, right aligned)

Dimensions of Indigenous Identity

Mapuche Summer School Project

INTERIM REPORT

JANUARY 2011


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Dimensions of Indigenous Identity: Mapuche Summer School Project

About the UNPO The Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO) is a democratic, international membership organization. Its Members are indigenous peoples, minorities and unrecognised or occupied territories who have joined together to protect their human and cultural rights, preserve their environments, and to find nonviolent solutions to conflicts, which affect them.

www.unpo.org

About the Nando Peretti Foundation The Nando Peretti Foundation supports programs intended for the safeguarding and promotion of human rights, school education and the well-being of children, medical and scientific research and health, art and culture, environment and nature. Particular attention is devoted to emergency programs catered for people facing severe economic hardship and social segregation.

www.nandoperettifound.org


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Introduction ___________________________________________________________________ In January 2011 UNPO together with the Escuela de Filosofia, Espiritualidad y Sabiduria Ancestral Mapuche implemented this year's first Mapuche summer school in the community of Andrés Huanqui, Limahue, in the IX Region. The three-day event helped Mapuche children and youth re-connect with their culture in a natural surrounding and is part of the first phase of a three-year project aimed at fostering a process of revitalization of the Mapuche culture in Chile. Nearly 60 participants had the opportunity to share and meet other children from neighbouring Mapuche communities, some of whom are already living in urban centres and who contributed with different views and experiences on what it means to be Mapuche elsewhere. Participants talked and learned about the origin of their culture, covering topics such as health, philosophy, science, spirituality, ancient wisdom, Mapuche language and the meaning of their social practices, customs and spiritual ceremonies. Strong emphasis was given to Mapuche values and principles, especially those that constitute the base for the relations between Mapuche and nature, their respect for the environment and the importance of strengthening collective bonds to foster a larger sense of community. The children's families also joined evening sessions that brought together the youth and the elders aiming to increase their sense of belonging through a better understanding of their ancient traditions and beliefs. During this visit UNPO witnessed the youth's thirst for revitalizing their culture. Young Mapuche leaders also shared their experiences in spreading this knowledge and reaching out to their own communities highlighting the need and importance of further training new generations of young Mapuche leaders. . The recognition of indigenous peoples' rights to learn and use their own language as well as to receive cultural education is far from achieved in Chile. Studies show that more than 60 per cent of the Mapuches have no or very little knowledge of the Mapudungun. There is an urgent need to revert this process of cultural erosion and establish social conditions to foster the participation of the indigenous peoples themselves in the construction of a legal framework that fully satisfies their historic demands. The ILO convention 169, adopted by Chile in 1989 and ratified in 2009, establishes that in preserving indigenous cultures education plays a part as important as other elements constitutive of indigenous identity such as systems of values and all other social, cultural and economic aspirations.


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Overview ___________________________________________________________________ Despite Chile's international reputation as one of the most stable and prosperous countries in South America, not all have benefited equally from the impact of its democratic and economic development. Hiding behind this mask of progress, the largest ethnic group in Chile, the Mapuche, has long suffered from poverty and discrimination whilst authorities have failed to deliver a substantial contribution to fully recognize the indigenous peoples' rights to learn, use and practice their own language and culture. The implementation of inadequate state policies has seen very few or no positive results in this regard. The introduction of the 'Indigenous Law' in 1993 and the ratification of ILO Convention 169 in 2009 have been affected by the lack of steady financial support and qualified human resources. Moreover the lack of indigenous representation within official and government bodies has hampered the participation of the Mapuche themselves in the construction of a legal framework and the design of public policies that address more thoroughly their historic demands. New legal dispositions adopted in 2009 by the Ministry of Education included the teaching of indigenous languages as a mandatory subject in the first year of primary school but it can only apply to schools where the percentage of indigenous children is 20% or more. This criteria does not reflect the real proportion of indigenous population in Chile, which according to the 2002 census is 4.6% of the total population (from which 87.3% are Mapuche). This is clearly ruling out most of the urban and even some rural communities in the Alto Bío Bío and Araucanía regions where the Mapuche communities are larger. In fact, according to the Registry of Students in Chile only 7.5% of all indigenous children had access to indigenous education in 2007 and from 2009 the number of schools working with this programs has decreased due to budget cuts. Overall, the Mapuche are struggling to have access to means of preserving their cultural identity which is also gradually being eroded due to migration to the cities and the loss of their lands which has led to a deeper marginalization of their culture. In order to ensure that the Mapuche culture will continue to be a rich source of ancient knowledge, wisdom and values deeply rooted in the protection of their natural environment and the preservation of natural resources and sustainable livelihoods, the EES: Dimensions of Indigenous Identity Project has embarked on the organization of an educational program aimed at new generations of Mapuche. This project has fostered a process of revitalization of the Mapuche identity as a whole, necessary to halt the progressive loss of Mapudungun - the Mapuche language - and their cultural heritage. This process is based on a new approach to self-recognition, socialization and internalization as a way to revive the elements constitutive of the Mapuche identity. These educational endeavours also contribute to further fight unfair stigmatization fuelled by the government's folkloristic approach to their culture and the mainstream media misleading portrayal of the Mapuche as a constant source of conflict over land restitution.


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Achievements ___________________________________________________________________ The VIII and IX regions (Alto Bío Bío and Araucanía), where rural population is mostly Mapuche, are some of the poorest areas in the country. This is particularly evident in the Araucania where many Mapuche suffer from poor living conditions. In order to reach out these communities, often located in remote areas where public transport is not available and roads are frequently in poor conditions, transportation, food and educational material must be provided. Moreover, instructors are often students or work in major towns and cities thus provisions should also be taken to provide them with lodging and a small stipend for their services. The demand for educational services and programmes is of utmost importance, unfortunately many territorial and communal leaders do not have the capacity to organize and implement such projects. Over the years, cultural erosion in Mapuche territories in the Araucania Region has been further caused by territorial administrative reorganization of communal lands and the increasing influence of the religious denominations. The land restitution issues are not only of political, geographical and historical nature, the loss of territory implies reduction of natural spaces for the practice and development of the Mapuche culture. Languages also exist on a territorial base, a socially vital space that allows people to form and develop a linguistic community that shares a common code of values and practices. Thousands of Mapuche have moved to urban centres and if their ancestral territories continue to decrease, Mapuche communities will lose essential space for cultural interaction, leaving no room for the much needed dialogue among the elder and the youth. One participant to the project, an elder Mapuche woman, reflected on this before she became actively involved with the Mapuche School: “I didn’t know where our culture was going, whether it was deemed to change into something else, whether we just had to move on and leave everything we were behind”. In spite of the current indigenous legislation in Chile (Ley Indigena No. 19.253), which stipulates the importance of acknowledging, recognizing and protecting indigenous languages and cultures by promoting educational programmes on indigenous history, culture and languages, the implementation of public policies has far from satisfied the basic demands, needs and expectations of the Mapuche communities at large. The impact on public policies and social programmes has been insufficient compared to the increasing demands for indigenous education. When the first programmes in connection with this legal framework were implemented, the teaching of indigenous languages had a status of 'optional workshops' whilst under this new legislation bilingual education is provided in basic and high school as long as the number of indigenous students is “high”. The decree 0280 establishes the teaching of indigenous languages as mandatory when 20 per cent of the students are indigenous. However, this criteria does not reflect the total percentage of the indigenous population in Chile, which fluctuates between 5 and 6 per cent of the total population. This is clearly excluding urban centres, communities and regions with a lower percentage of Indigenous inhabitants. Moreover, official programmes are of marginal scale, low coverage and very limited budget. Lack of steady financial resources turn most of these efforts into pilot schemes that greatly affect continuity and consequently achievement of long-term results. There is also a shortage of trained traditional instructors in Mapuche language and culture and teaching methods usually operate under a Western perspective and are reduced to the teaching of very basic language skills. There is


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no recognition of the traditional educational systems long used by the Mapuche ancestral authorities. The ancestral Mapuche way of conveying knowledge and wisdom follows a particular set of codes, rules, methods and purposes that have not been considered in the making of these state policies. Despite the Mapuche are the largest indigenous group in Chile, they have no representation at the national level and this is clearly reflected on the lack of political will to address these outstanding demands. Furthermore, the folklorist driven approach often adopted by the Chilean establishment continue to embrace stigmatization and stereotypes that have little or nothing to do with what the core Mapuche values stand for.


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Project Activities ___________________________________________________________________ Preparatory meetings with the Mapuche School in Temuco, Chile The three-day summer school event was preceded by an intense preparation work led by the Director of the Mapuche School and some of the participants of the diploma course. Appointed instructors gathered and produced educational material and volunteers assisted in the preparation of text, tales, images, messages, games and activities carried out as part of the programme. Preparatory work included finding an unspoiled natural setting, key to enabling young participants to gain first-hand experience of the particular connection Mapuche culture has with nature. Transportation to mobilize families from distant communities, provide meals and contact medical and rescue services in case of emergencies were also arranged. Dissemination and promotion activities included talks with community leaders to secure support and participation. The school provided the supply of traditional music, religious instruments and other objects necessary for spiritual ceremonies. Guest instructors and Mapuche leaders from distant towns were also invited to encourage shadowing experiences to further multiply these efforts among neighbouring communities in Nueva Imperial, Carahue, Saavedra, Chol Chol and Teodoro Schmidt. Implementation of Summer School in Andrés Huanqui Community, Limahue The inauguration of the summer school took place in the community of Andrés Huanqui, Limahue. During three days of intensive activities nearly sixty participants had the opportunity to share experiences and learn about their ethnicity and culture, heard tales about the origin of the Mapuche and were guided through the preparation of spiritual ceremonies such as the installation of the Rewe, a formation of tree branches that marks the start of a new day, and the nguillatun, which is a ritual that connect the Mapuche with their spiritual beings through sung prayers whilst dancing to the sound of traditional instruments such as the kultrun and the trutruka. The families of participating children joined evening sessions that brought together the youth and the elders, and as children living in these communities are mostly based in rural areas and no longer receiving such instruction, these meetings helped to increase their sense of belonging through a better understanding of their ancient traditions and beliefs - and the challenges faced in today's Chilean society. The purpose of these projects is to halt the progressive loss of Mapudungun and the impoverishment of the Mapuche cultural heritage by using teaching techniques and tools that help children understand their roots and strengthen their identity based on a real and close experience with nature. Participants were taught Mapudungun and other subjects that are not covered by formal education, such as Mapuche philosophy, history, science, spirituality, ancestral culture and relation between the Mapuche and the Nature. Participants were provided with all necessary educational material, lodging and meals. Lessons were complemented with side activities which allowed the children to spend time with elders, sharing experiences, listening to tales and taking part of group meals where everyone shared and learned to understand the importance of strengthening collective bonds and a larger sense of community. The school also saw the participation of guest instructors from distant towns who were encouraged to multiply these efforts back in their own communities. UNPO had the opportunity to film and produce audiovisual material to document the impact of such educational programmes on the preservation of the Mapuche culture


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and identity. This piece documents part of the work sessions, including interviews, testimonials and commentary from participants, teachers, academics and other members of the Mapuche community. Meeting UNPO Diploma Course Graduates and Mapuche School Board In order to further understand some of the main challenges faced by future Mapuche leaders, UNPO held a meeting with some of the 38 students who finished the Diploma course on Mapuche History, Philosophy, Spirituality and Ancient Wisdom (held from October 2009 until November 2010), which was also organized by the Mapuche School and UNPO with the financial support of the Nando Peretti Foundation. All agreed that the course had been a milestone in both their professional and personal lives as it stressed the importance of acquiring knowledge through self-reflection and the practice of the values that shape their cultural identity. The result of understanding the meaning behind their social practices and ancestral traditions triggered off a stronger sense of belonging and hence an increasing awareness of the urgent need to learn, rediscover and revitalize their culture. UNPO also discussed the design and launch of the Mapuche School website which will become a useful platform to promote the Mapuche School in Chile and abroad by giving both visibility to the project and opportunities to those who can use the site as an educational tool. UNPO and NGOs Working on Indigenous Issues in Chile UNPO engaged with the implementers of initiatives revitalising indigenous languages and cultures across the country, meeting alongside 300 members of the Red Por Los Derechos Educativos y Lingüísticos De Los Pueblos Indígenas de Chile (Network for Education and Linguistic Rights of Indigenous Peoples of Chile) from Mapuche and other indigenous backgrounds. Going forward, UNPO hopes to organise events to raise awareness of the cultural and identity struggle of new generations of Mapuche people and the challenges faced by stigmatization and misconceptions that have led to a negative image of the Mapuche among some sectors of Chilean society. This may include the importance of community cohesion, cross-cultural understanding, indigenous law, teaching and use of one's language as a fundamental human right, indigenous philosophy and education in indigenous values and principles, with emphasis on the relation between Mapuche and the Nature and the respect for their environment. Civil society in Chile is keenly aware of the importance in laying the foundation for a more inclusive dialogue that allows the different indigenous groups and organizations to effectively participate in major decision-making bodies where they currently have little or no representation.


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Conclusions, Future Opportunities and Steps Forward ___________________________________________________________________ Mapudungun conveys not only a means of communication but also a rich source of ancient knowledge, traditional wisdom and values deeply rooted in the protection of their natural environments and promotion of sustainable livelihoods. The Mapuche School has envisaged the organization of further summer and winter schools which could take place in communities located 30-45 km from Temuco. Preparatory sessions to the actual course may also be adopted to provide participants with the necessary tools to organize and lead future efforts on their own initiative. Initially these programmes still need to be financially supported but in the long term they should become self-financing, community funded by means of using communal facilities, on the ground donations and negotiating with local authorities and non-governmental organizations to utilise new or existing funds. UNPO will be also launching the Mapuche School website, which will serve as a platform to promote the school in Chile and abroad by giving both visibility to the project and opportunities to those who can use the site as an educational tool. The government's folklorist approach to interculturalism has failed to deliver a substantial contribution to the Mapuche in Chile, therefore future endeavours should continue to endorse educational programmes and state policies that further promote cultural diversity as a means of fostering democratic values and peaceful ways to fight discrimination and exclusion. In this regard, UNPO intends to examine additional opportunities to organize seminars, workshops and conferences to raise awareness of the current cultural and identity struggle of new generations of Mapuche. Similar efforts had been held in the past but lack of resources and community support have hindered their continuity. Therefore strengthening relations and collaborating with NGOs working on these issues, such as the Red Por Los Derechos Educativos y Lingüísticos De Los Pueblos Indígenas de Chile (Network for Education and Linguistic Rights of Indigenous Peoples of Chile), the Universidad de Santiago de Chile and the Universidad Catolica de Temuco will remain priorities for UNPO. Suggested topics so such collaboration is expected to include the importance of community cohesion, indigenous law, linguistic rights, indigenous philosophy and cross-cultural understanding between Mapuche and non-Mapuche.


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Mapuche Summer School Report (January 2011) - PUBLIC - UNPO

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