Partnerships between intercultural preschools and Mapuche communities in Metropolitan Region, Chile: Negotiations in a contact zone

Authors

  • Rukmini Becerra Lubies Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
  • Simona Mayo González Kom kim mapudunguaiñ waria mew y Universidad de Buenos Aires

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14507/epaa.25.2518

Keywords:

preschool education, intercultural and bilingual education, Mapuche communities, Indigenous peoples

Abstract

The Intercultural and Bilingual Education program in Chile requires intercultural and bilingual preschools to work collaboratively with Mapuche communities to offer a relevant education for Indigenous children; however, no researchers have studied this partnership. In this context, the main objective of this study is to examine the relationships within the communities that have emerged around intercultural and bilingual preschools in Región Metropolitana, Chile. Using the notion of contact zone (Pratt, 1992) we analyze characteristics of the ties developed between members of the preschool institution and the participants of the Mapuche communities. To address this goal, we conducted a qualitative case study, and with ethnographic techniques we collected data using semi-structured interviews, participant observation and group conversations in two preschools; data were codified and categorized with thematic analysis. The main findings show that in this contact zone, the Mapuche communities participate primarily in cultural events, the Educators of Indigenous Language and Culture (ELCIs) are poorly valued and, outside the classrooms these partnerships are seen as learning spaces by the preschool teachers.

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Author Biographies

Rukmini Becerra Lubies, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile

Licenciada en Lengua y Literatura Hispánica con mención en Lingüística de la Universidad de Chile y Magister en Lingüística de la misma universidad. Ph.D. en Educación de la Universidad de Washington. Actualmente es profesora asistente de la Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile e investigadora del Centro de Estudios Interculturales e Indígenas. Sus temas de especialización son lingüística aplicada, formación lingüística y cultural de profesores, diversidad e infancia.

Simona Mayo González, Kom kim mapudunguaiñ waria mew y Universidad de Buenos Aires

Licenciada en Lengua y Literatura Hispánica con mención en Literatura de la Universidad de Chile. Maestranda de la Maestría en Educación de la Universidad de Buenos Aires. Estudiante del Doctorado en Lingüística de la Universidad de Buenos Aires. Integrante del equipo de enseñanza de mapudungun “Kom kim mapudunguaiñ waria mew” (Todos aprenderemos mapudungun en la ciudad). Se ha desempeñado en la enseñanza, revitalización y difusión del mapudungun en diversos espacios en Chile y Argentina y en la producción de material de enseñanza contextualizado a la realidad urbana y actual de la lengua mapuche.

Published

2017-11-13

How to Cite

Becerra Lubies, R., & Mayo González, S. (2017). Partnerships between intercultural preschools and Mapuche communities in Metropolitan Region, Chile: Negotiations in a contact zone. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 25, 114. https://doi.org/10.14507/epaa.25.2518

Issue

Section

Articles