Indigenous students in the university context of Universidade Federal da Bahia

Abstract

Within the research developed for the doctoral program in anthropology at the Universidade Federal da Bahia, I have followed the academic trajectories of indigenous students who entered the program of affirmative action of this university since 2005. Aged between 18 and 29 years, these students are from various ethnicities in the state of Bahia and entered university in the fields of law, humanities, arts, social sciences, engineering, economics, nursing, medicine, communication and interdisciplinary studies. In all cases, the student has been the first member of the family to enter university. The aim of the research is to understand the meanings that they give to this experience and, simultaneously, to identify the personal and community strategies in adapting to the university space; the demand for training by these young people and their communities of belonging; and their expectations after graduating. Generally these young students emphasize the difficulties in accessing and remaining in university, as well as some shortcomings of the institutional policies of affirmative action directed at higher education.