A construção da escola indígena pelo povo Munduruku do planalto em Santarém - PA: território, identidade e resistência

Abstract

This research addresses the importance of Indigenous school education as a tool for cultural appreciation and the strengthening of Indigenous identity, focusing on the Açaizal Indigenous village, located in the Munduruku territory of the Santarém Plateau, in the state of Pará, Brazil. Since the Federal Constitution of 1988, Indigenous peoples have had their rights recognized, including the right to land and to differentiated education. It is understood that Indigenous education, traditionally carried out in community-based forms, was for a long time devalued and replaced by assimilationist practices. However, Indigenous school education today seeks to integrate traditional knowledge with formal curricula, while respecting the cultural specificities of Indigenous peoples. This research aimed to analyze how the establishment of the Indigenous school, as well as the educational processes developed within it, contribute to the strengthening of the culture and identity of the Açaizal Indigenous community. In this way, we sought to demonstrate the fundamental role of the Indigenous school in supporting the struggle of this people for their territory. The study was conducted using a qualitative approach, through a literature review, interviews with local leaders, and the application of questionnaires to teachers at the Wapurum-Tip school. It was concluded that the school, beyond being a space for the development of Indigenous school education, is an important element for the community as an agent of resistance, promoting the appreciation of the culture, identity, and autonomy of the Munduruku people of the Plateau in the face of historical challenges of invisibilization and denial of rights, especially territorial rights.