Educação e povos indígenas no limiar do século XXI: debates e práticas interculturais

Abstract

This paper deals with theoretical-practical reflections about the challenges that surround the
conception of a specific, differentiated and intercultural indigenous school education. The main
suggested thesis is that, before it being intercultural, the indigenous school must indeed be indigenous.
So, to be indigenous, that school needs to be taken away, decolonized and turned into a truly
autonomous school: a school in the indigenous way. However, it so happens that this path is very
difficult, because the indigenous school, as well as our generation’s indigenous educators, are also
entangled and infected by colonial thought and culture. Solely a critical-practical, transformative and
revolutionary instruction will be able to open paths to materialize the utopia of a truly particular and
intercultural indigenous school, to make indigenous knowledge and wisdom triumph again.
Meanwhile, we hesitate, resistant, obstinate and, at times, disobedient, but all alive, and so well alive.