Federal University of Amazonas plans to create Indigenous Education Pole

Mencius Melo – Cenarium Magazine

MANAUS – In the week that the oldest institution of Higher Education in Brazil, the Federal University of Amazonas (Ufam), completes 114 years, a group of indigenous people Yanomami met with the rector Sylvio Puga. On the agenda: the creation of the Indigenous University Center on the Marauiá River, in the municipality of Santa Isabel do Rio Negro (631km from Manaus).

Also present at the meeting, the pro-rector of Undergraduate Education, Professor David Lopes Neto, received, along with Dean Sylvio Puga, a document resulting from the debate of 11 communities of the Yanomami people of the upper Rio Negro for the institution to be installed in the region.

“We reached a consensus that we need to advance in this specific process of education and we know that only Ufam could meet our desires. We want better qualification for our Yanomami teachers and we request that the dean look at the demand of our people, who have around 240 Yanomami who wish to graduate and work in education”, declared Mr. Otavio Yanomami, coordinator of the Yanomami Kurikama Association.

Dialog

Dean Sylvio Puga, in an interview to CENARIUM, MAGAZINE stated the permanent efforts to establish dialogues with the populations that make up the human map of the State of Amazonas. “Our dialogue is permanent with the indigenous organizations and leaderships, seeking to build a model where the university teaches, but mainly learns, with the traditional knowledge”, detailed Mr. Puga.

According to the head of Ufam, the claim of the Yanomami communities concerns a course already applied by the institution, in other experiences: “They want the course ‘Indigenous License: Educational Policy and Sustainable Development’, which last year graduated a class in Santa Isabel do Rio Negro and three classes in São Gabriel da Cachoeira, in Tucano, Baniwa and Yanomami poles”, he explained.

Among the indigenous people present were Mr. Samuel, leader of the Curuá; Francisco, leader of the Tomoropiwei; Mr. Jeremias, leader of the Komixiwë; Mr. Carlos, leader of the Taracuá; Mr. Oséas, leader of the Pohoroá; and professor of Indigenous Studies Mr. Modesto Amaruko.

Professor Amaruko stated that “The reception of our demand by the university was very good. We are grateful and hopeful that, soon, the indigenous degree will be offered in our region.”

Anniversary

The rector of Ufam took the opportunity to praise the institution’s performance in 114 years of existence in the Amazon. “The Ufam, on completing 114 years, consolidates itself increasingly as a center of excellence in the training of professionals to act in the Amazon, Brazil and the world, with more than 1,000 doctors in the faculty and the permanent qualification of the technical administrative staff”, said the manager.

Asked about the next steps of Ufam towards the formation of poles of education in the interior of the state, aimed at traditional populations, such as indigenous, riverine and maroon, Mr. Sylvio Puga replied: “We intend to expand our work in indigenous education and also with the other selection processes already in place, expand social inclusion via higher education in the interior of the state”, he concluded.