Indigenous school education and ethnic-cultural identity: an ethnographic study in the Jerusalem village of the Krikati people, municipality of Sítio Novo-MA

Abstract

The main objective of this article was to identify the challenges and potential of indigenous school education in maintaining the ethnic and cultural identity of the Krikati people. The theme studied emphasized the relevance of indigenous culture, through educational and pedagogical practices that are transmitted in indigenous school education, following indigenous education itself. Authors who supported the foundation: Bonin (2012), Dias (2015, 2020), Ferreira (2001), Filho (2010), Freitas (2010), Luciano (2006, 2013), Nascimento (2010). The problem that generated this study was: how does indigenous school education contribute to the ethnic and cultural identity of the Krikati people? The methodology adopted was based on the principles and characteristics of ethnographic research (GIL, 2010), highlighting its importance in understanding the object of study. Four teachers were involved in the field research. The data collection instruments were semi-structured interviews and participant observation. The results showed that indigenous school education contributes to the ethnic and cultural identity of the Krikati people in several ways, mainly by incorporating the traditions, stories and languages of the community into the curriculum. This form of education promotes the recognition and appreciation of Krikati culture, strengthening the sense of belonging among students. It was concluded, therefore, that the Krikati teachers at the Cõhmxirỹ school, despite encountering structural and pedagogical challenges, act as transmitters of ancestral knowledge, which is fundamental to the development of an education that respects and preserves cultural practices, contributing to the formation of a solid and authentic identity in new generations.