What are Indians (that is, we) like? Essentialities and Constructions in Educational Initiatives of Indigenous Peoples

Abstract

Indigenous communities in the province of La Pampa, mostly urban, when referring to the implementation of indigenous education differentiate two instances. If the first isrelated to the educational process within the communities, the other refers to the educational process in schools. In their discourse the following concerns often appear. In the first case, how to revive / revitalize / rebuild youth culture of their ancestors? In the second, how to make that the winkas (non-indigenous) people learn / know / practice indigenous culture at school? The CEAPI (Autonomous Educational Council of Indigenous Peoples) call these issues, respectively, Autonomous Indigenous Education and Intercultural Indigenous Education. On one occasion, one lonko (community leader) in the privacy of his room, asked with didactic sense why do we do this? This paper seeks to understand how and why lonkos of the province of La Pampa teach what they call Indian culture.