Education and Culture

This line of activities is designed to contribute toward restructuring the system of formal education for the indigenous peoples of the Upper Rio Negro region, based on initiatives and requests from FOIRN, local associations, and the communities. The guiding principle of these activities is to affirm the languages and culture of the indigenous peoples in the region by linking them to Western academic and scientific research. The objective is to train community members to become professionals in areas that will contribute toward indigenous sustainable development in the region. There are three main components of the project:

1. Developing alternative school programs, encompassing:

a) the Ütapinopona Indigenous School (Tuyuka people): organizing a school district for grades 1–8 in basic education, located in four communities on the Upper Rio Tiquié; publishing classroom materials in the native language and Portuguese in conjunction with research activities; and conducting a continuing education program for Tuyuka and Tukano teachers;

b) the Pamáali Indigenous School (Baniwa and Coripaco peoples): creating and organizing an experimental pilot school for grades 5–8 in basic education, located on the Upper Rio Içana; placing advisors in schools for grades 1–4 in the Içana, Aiari, and Cuiari watershed area; publishing classroom materials in the Baniwa language and Portuguese; and conducting a continuing education program for Baniwa and Coripaco teachers by holding workshops with advisors specialized in various disciplinary areas;

2. Developing educational activities for cultural and linguistic affirmation, encompassing:

a) the support and affirmation of the Tariana culture and language at the Center for Tariana Education and Culture by conducting linguistic workshops, courses in the Tariana language, and teaching workshops for publishing classroom and cultural materials in the native language; assistance for developing new projects to support the educational and cultural activities of the Tariana people;

b) the teaching and affirmation of the Tukano language by conducting instructional and linguistic workshops aimed toward restructuring the schools for grades 1–4 in the Middle Rio Tiquié;

c) the teaching and affirmation of the Wanano language by conducting instructional and linguistic workshops aimed toward restructuring the schools for grades 1–4 in the Upper Rio Uaupés;

d) the teaching and affirmation of the Desana language by conducting instructional and linguistic workshops aimed toward restructuring the schools for grades 1–4 in the Papuri region and other Desana communities;

3. Technical skills workshops, encompassing:

a) workshops in the maintenance and repairs of outboard motors, with the aim of training leaders and members of the local associations in how to operate and repair motors used on boats, the main means of transportation in the region; and

b) workshops in computer skills, with the aim of training leaders and staff members at FOIRN and its affiliates in how to use computers for local needs.