1 12 1 https://www.abyayalanews.org/files/original/502c3dd3e60a270f238058cbacf10838.pdf 7df127902fa004d8088d5391b079952d PDF Text Text S E L F DETERM I NATION & TER RITORY A~t~~w~ Alberto A BILINGUAL INTERCULTURAL EDUCATION IN ECUADOR A long·standing objective of Indigenous organizations is to rcju\'tnatc and preserve local culture. Fonunately, there is an increasing mo\'emem towards bilingual imercuhural education which aims to promote and develop Indigenous Ian· guages and cultures and make them part of the national culture in their respective coumrics. Born of this movement arc a number of dfons in Ecuador attempting to del'clop the country$ Indigenous education through new pedagogical techniques suit· able to the l3 Indigenous peoples. This project has a considerable histOry developing outside of any official protocol . bm it has recently gained official s.:uus as the Jmcrcuhural Bilingual Education Initiative. cl Proyecto de Educaci6n Intercultural Bilingue (EIB). In the fifties, the SIL (Summer Institute of Linguistics) and the Andean Mission developed projects involving Indigenous education . However. the 30 principal objective or these i>rojects was to proselytize the Indians. By lhe 19605, under the direction of Mr. Leonidas Proano, bilingual education was by Ecuadors Public addressed Educational Radio Program which had audiences imo the Sierra. In the sevemies the Shuar System of Radio Education (SERBISH) was implemented in other Indigenous schools in the Bolivar. Cotopa.,.i and Na1>0 provinces. The exl)eriences gleaned from these predr<:essors made way for the creation of a fonnal Indigenous educational pro· gram. The huercuhural Bilingual Education Initiative, was established in 1986 with the signing of a contr'3Cl between GTZ of Germany and the Ecuadorian Government. They elaborat· cd a tentative curriculum, didactic mate· rials in Quichua for primary schools, and designed programs providing training and support to rural organizations for the purpose or educational and cultural promotion. The following is an interview we con· ducted with the director or the National office of Bilingual Intercultural Education. (Oirccdon National de educa· cion 11ucrcuhurnl Bilingue·DINEIB), Alberto Andrnngo. Mr. Andrnngo is a Quichtc1 and has had considerable experience ''-'Orking in the Oeld of education. He also ..vas the vicc·prtsidcm of what is now the National Federation of Indigenous and Black Workers o f Ect"'dor (FENOCIN). In what year was the OINEIB created ? \ Vh y was it necessary to create the OINEIB? \Vhat a re some other confed· er.u ions and orga_ izations that partie· n ipatc in and contriburc to the politica l activities and adminis tration o f lite OINEIB? f-low is the OlNEIB Slruc· turcd ? The OINEIB was created in November of 1988, but local. regional, provincial and national Indigenous organizations had been demanding its fonnation for years. In 1988, CONAIE (Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador) played a very imponam role by launching a proposal for the education or Indigenous peoples. It was a propos.1l gcner.ucd by Indigenous and non· Indigenous professors and educational specialists blll was strictly tied to plans made for the enhancement or the Indigenous nations in Ecuador. An agn::e· ment was made between the Minister of Ct>lturc and Education and CONAIE to ilnplcmcm the OINEIB according to local dire<:th·es concerning bilingual intercul· tural education. Long before DINEIB, organizations, principally the FENOCIN and also the ECUARUNARI (affiliated with the CONAl E), had continuously Struggled to A'(y.fa Yala News �S E L F DETERMINATION & TERR ITO RY make the government recognize the Two of the tnOSI significant goals of Bilingual Jmercultuml Education move. the Indigenous m ove ment have been ment (EIB). For example. l remember to encourage muhicuhura1isnl and between 1981 and 1982. prior to the participatory d emocracy. In what existence o£ the CONAIE and the sense is the OINEIB a realization o f OINEIB. there was an massive national these goals? march calling for the recog· " ... WE HAVE TO The OINEIB is a state instilu· nition o£ 1he El6 by 1he government of jaime Roldos tion. but we are also an insti· DEVELOP OUR Aguilera. At this time. there tution of the Indigenous com· was a conStam demand for munities of Ecuador. For this IDENTITY, PRErecognhion from every orgareason. the DINEIB is subject nization. This also helped to SERVE OUR LAN - to the comrol, support and precipitate the creation or 1he GUAGE IN ORDER the direction given by the national orftce. Local and TO BETIER CON- Indigenous nations. As a for· regional ex1>eriences were mal state institution we are FRONT OTHER administratively. financially compiled and used to create an all-encompassing propos· and technically decemralizcd. CULTURES" al presented to and recogTherefore, we are dependent nized by the government. By on the directives generated by the time Rodrigo Borja 1ook office 1hc all of the individuals working within the national Bilingual lntercuhuml Education DINEIB. The OINEIB is a conglomerate program was institutionalized in of individuals, Indigenous for the most part but also non-Indigenous, 1hat partie· Ecuador. ipate on be hal£ or all the national organi- conuibutc tO the operations or their bilingual education program. by organizing a budget. infrastructure. teaching tllaterials and any other fonn or support ncccss.1ry to the realization o£ 1he El6. Once the DINE18 was formed, the rest of the Indigenous and Campesino organizations, like the FEINE (Federation o£ Evangelical Indians). FENOC (Federation o£ Campcsinos). FENACLE (Federation o£ Free Campesinos) and FEI (Federation of Ecuadorian Indians), came to panicip3te: at first they were suspi· cious but eventually they evolved suffi· ciem trust w panicipate within all levels o£ the EIB. I believe the EIB has actually facilitated a dialogue among our national organizations; a dialogue that concerns not only crucial issues put £onh by the EIB. bm also other issues conceming thtse organizations. The organizations 1 mentioned have supported this process. some with considerable fortitude and dedication and others with somewhat ltss. But by all means these six major participants have significamly contributed to the developmem o£ the EIB. l believe another accomplishment of 1he DINEIB is institutional decentrali%3tion. We have attained a degree of autonomy that enable,s us to advance obje<:tives o£ 1he EIB. This decentralization also allows us to select our own candidates for administrative positions. The only remaining power of the cemral goven\mem is to give legitimate title to the candidate elected by Indigenous organiza· tions. Othcnvise, the electoral process occurs in the selection of provincial directors. They are elected by local organizations following a public debate. This election system is unique. distinct from the tradition or appointments dictated by the minisny and government which are <:ommonplace i1\ other state ii\Stitutions. zations previously mentioned. In this way DINEIB recognizes the objectives or each or these diverse organizations. As for the conununitics. is th ere a way in which families or local groups a re able to participate in II\C Bilingual Intercultural Education system? There arc local Educational Advisory Councils (CEC) that have been established in some provinces and some communities. Through these community councils, locaiJ>eoples are able to participate directly in the bilingual imercuhural education effons~ The local Educational Advisory Councils are comprised of delegates from parent's commit· tees and community organizations. stu· dent and teacher representatives, and delegates from other local instilutions. So. these boards are local and panici· patory by nature. They are obliged to Vol. 11 No. 1 \Vhat would you say are some of the successes of the DINEIB and some of its failures or shortcomings? One success or the program is that we have managed to bring together six major organizations in a convers..u ion concem· ing bilingual and intercultural education and have also generated a dialogue dealing with other imponam issue-s of the lndigenous·campesino movement in Ecuador. Previously, although these groups were ideologicall)• on the same pmh , they sparred often in the political arena. Wnh the EIB as a foundation, the-se groups are united ...while. of course. they continue to respect one another's diverse experiences and objectives. As to our educational model, we have been able to develop our own prototype without the intervention of the central government dictating this or that model. \Vc are creating materials for each of lite 31 �S E L f & DETERMINATION lnd1genous ruuons. and art able to dab· orate our own budget for tht Hems that W( ffqUII't \ Vh:u has been the atthudc toward the OINEJB o f dirrcrcnt administrn· tions over the years? Ba"'C they volun· tarily supported the OIN EIB or have they 1ricd to undermine rhc initiatives of Oiling u:ll lntcrcuhural Education? We hnvc clucOy had financial prob· lcms. The govcrnmcm does not allocate sufficient lunds to sustaul Bilingual edu· cauon. In the last year the go\'cmmcnt d1d not gl\'e us a smglc ccm to invest in Awo uon·the lack ol • "'lhngn<SS to suppon lnd1g<nous <duauon on the pan of the government 01 course Ecuador doesn\ have 3n cnonnous budget, but ne,·cn.htl<ss. the,.. ought to bt enough funds ava1lablt: so that we maght work somewhat normally dc\'clopmg the EIB. \Vh:u types o f l'rojccts :u c proposed for chc schools? \V'ith the EIB we do not want to work solely wuh clnldrcn and young people. \Ve also w;mt to CSt3blish development proJects.. . oonsidcnng the povcnr of our lnd1genous people. we need to right a.g.amst th1.s extreme povcny... to prepare mdwrduals for work, armmg them with the tools nee<5S.1r)' to bt producU\'C, so they nuy btnerit tht1r bmrhcs. thear commumues and the enure $OCtet)~ f>.) . S.ON& ~<u>ow So<or• 2. (),ocl; 8. }. 4. Quod-... 9. Tsxha O>Un 10 II. q,... s. our proJtClS. or to tram our profC'$SOrs and admmlSir:uors nor d1d we receive a smgle C('nt for tcachmg matenals for our variOUS lnd1gcnous communmes. Nor have they sup1>hcd us wllh the necessary tools or technology. Thts ts n con.s~<lernb l y serious problem for us. \\'e hn,•e been able to make a little pro&r<ss with the flnanc1al suppon of the GTZ o£ Gcnnany. but by no mea.ns does th1s suffice Is this lack o r S\1pport a rcs·ult or a shortage or rt":SOurccs '\\'ithin the go,·· t mmcnt or their unwillingness to help! T ERRITORY ~... "'*"-"' We would hke to strengthen our development prOJI!ClS for agricuhure. ammal husbandry. mechanks. C311J0ntry ttnd craft production. Some groups have begun to work on realizing these projects but they are limIted by a shortage of financial support. We need lunds for baste 1n:ucrials. tools. etc. the~r ch1ldrcn ltam QU1chua \Ve connn· ue to thmk that the whntlmtstazo. \Vcstcm world IS better and that our own lnd1g<OOUS SO<I<l)' 15 wonhless We have been mcukattd wuh thl$ atutudc pn:>hlbnmg the use of the lndtgenous lan· guages by ~hspamc professors Our own youth have bced thb when they htwe attended college and hJtve been prohibited from speak1ng lhetr nauve tongue. \Vc have expencnccd and endured the Spanish invaston that tncd to crush our cultures. We ha\'e suffered through colomalism that has tned to make us £eel ashamed of ourselves. Some r~umhcs contmuc to behcvc that our culture and trad1uons are Mthout "alue Loco.l and reg~onal orgamzauons n~-td to nuSt ptOpleS COr\SClcnccs, con,'ln« thtm othcrv.'lSt. that our cui· ture 1S cmmtntly wonh)' and we ha,·e to de"clop our tdcnuty, prescr"e our lan· guage m order to btttcr confront Other cultures Th1s way we wtll be well pre· pared for an)' snuauon T hen, it is still ncecss:,ry to combat colonialism? Cenninly. il is crucial that we erase this mcntnht)~ Vlc have 10 confront the lack of sell-esteem. We must foster self· wonh and coumcr lht low stlr.esteem which stall prrslStS m some of our com· lf::wc )'OU proposed that non·lndigcnous people learn mumuts an Indigenous language? IntroduCtiOn tO thas mtcrvacw was 13.k<n lrom a paper wnntn bv !>.1m1 Pll<o (Qu~<:hua) of the DINEIB '!I Indeed. m our U\SUtutes or b1hngu•l <duco.uon the,.. .,.. non·lndtgtnous children. students. professionals who would hkt to ltam an lnd•genous bng\aagc In Quno we are set· ung up n languJgc trammg program for the ch1ldrcn ol DINEIB employees. the children of d•rectors or nnuona1 organiza· tions :md :myone else who would like to learn. 'J!/c will bcgm the program with Quichua, then S1>amsh. and then English. Alkrto AMrrmgo. tloo "''""of rht Notionol ollie• of Malti<vhurol l i/ingONJI Uucotioo (OINE/1/;, o Q .. ui<b from (c..JO<. lA/1( lrltn~ t.Mrt AMolino who 60> lived ond worhd in ltvoHr inttrYitwed A!Hrto Androngo in 011ito for Abya Yo/a N HI h tvmntly 1Y11. wwking •• biJ Jissortot~• on tho po/ili<l ol tbt lndigtttO(If movtmMI In (cu~OI. las t year I had the OJ>J>Ortunily to visit a bilingual school in Lhc pro,--incc of hnbaburn. \Vc spoke with a teacher. who told us shc was worried that some parents did not wa nt their ch_l· i drcn to Jearn Quiehua in schooL \Vhat is being done 10 deal " 'hh 1his prob- lemr I b<h<'·e Ill$ mo,.. the absence of voli· 32 Some pa,..nts an: opposed to ha'"ng A~YalaNews � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Vol. 11, no. 1 (Spring 1998) Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource An Interview With Alberto Andrango Bilingual Intercultural Education in Ecuador Type The nature or genre of the resource Journal Article Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Spring 1998 Language A language of the resource English English Zotero Title An Interview With Alberto Andrango Bilingual Intercultural Education in Ecuador Item Type Journal Article Volume 11 Issue 1 Pages 30-32 Publication Title Abya Yala News ISSN 1071-3182 Date Spring 1998 Language English Abstract Note There is an increasing movement towards bilingual intercultural education to help develop and preserve Indigenous language and culture. There have been many movements and organizations created to ensure this goal is reached, and much success and failure along the way. Attachment Title An_Interview_With_Alberto_Andrango_Bilingual_Intercultural_Educator_In_Ecuador.pdf Attachment URL [No URL] Bilingual Culture Language