The first matsigenka EIB teachers at Manu. A step toward indigenous educational governance

Abstract

Throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, indigenous peoples have been affected by the growth of the non-indigenous migrant population, the exploitation of natural resources, and their integration into national society. This has impacted their livelihoods and the traditional cultural practices that formed the basis of their cultural identity. Among the cultural practices most significantly affected have been the intergenerational transmission of indigenous knowledge and the use of indigenous peoples’ own languages. The objective of this article is to provide a collective reflection on the training process of the first generation of teachers in Bilingual Intercultural Education (EIB) for the Matsigenka people of the Manu region. To this end, the article will first provide a general context of the national development of EIB. Second, it will describe the regional process of schooling and Bilingual Intercultural Education promoted, among other actors, by the regional indigenous movement of Madre de Dios. Third, it will describe the life experiences and formal education of the first Matsigenka IBE teachers. Finally, as a conclusion, some reflections will be presented based on the assessments of the Matsigenka teachers trained during the first five years of the second decade of the 21st century.