Photo communication Sarayaku
Sarayaku 05-11-2012
Beginning in the 1970s, the decisive struggle of the Sarayaku people announced to history that it was interpreted in the intelligence, in the ideas and in the actions of their children who saw the noon town grow, who cast their lot for a people that would fight for an alternative to true civilization.
Times in which the interventions of colonization and domination came from the State, since it was evident with its territorial colonization plans, transforming the communities into communes -territorially reduced- in short, they were practices of domination and as a strategy establishing military controls in indigenous territories of the region, violating the rights of the peoples. On the other hand, the missionaries with the intention of providing support to the inhabitants, implementing fiscal missionary schools, has also been a strategy of absolute domination, that is, turning the inhabitants into passive and docile, as they have done with other towns of the world. However, a wise people, who unites their forces conserved in time and space, declares itself to fight incessantly against any oppressive force that tries to dispossess their lands and take over their territories and natural resources because it is known that they first put an end to the gold, rubber, cinnamon, and that today will end with oil and water.
In this sense, the struggle proposed to secure the territory and establish the basic needs of education, health and access to the media.
Since 1979, with the creation of the CAS, Centro Alama Sarayaku -today TAYJASARUTA- the struggle of the people is identified by ensuring the integrity of the territory, understood in the space where culture, ancestral knowledge, spiritual values and materials. Strengthening cultural identity and continuing to exist as an indigenous people was the vision that sustains the struggle today.
Therefore, starting in the 1980s, leaders and the community see the need to implement education for the benefit of the new generations. Managing to establish commissions made up of leaders, elders, barayuk, Kurakas and women to carry out the negotiations on numerous occasions.
In these times the sacrifice was common, having as the only means the canoe, taunas and the road, endangering their lives, with hunger and thirst. Finally, based on efforts, sacrifice, firmness, dedication, dedication, optimism and in a visionary way, they achieved it.
In the field of education, the attention of the government and the Ministry of Education was scarce and still is. Promoting education in the indigenous peoples of the Amazon was not a priority for the governments of the day. However, the interest in carrying out its policy of expansion and territorial colonization was evident.
In short, by its own management and arguing about the importance of education for the ancestral peoples of the Amazon, it was possible to create in the community SARAYAKU NATIONAL COLLEGE institution that a few weeks ago celebrates its 29th anniversary and included first, second and third year of basic education. Later, with the same effort and sacrifice, the baccalaureate was managed in the specialty of FOOD AGROINDUSTRY. Young people of the Zapara, Shiwiar, Achwar and Kichwa nationalities have studied in these classrooms of this alma mater THE COTAS, and that many of them currently lead the leadership in their towns. In this way becoming an important educational institution in the sector.
SARAYAKU PEOPLE'S VISION OF EDUCATION: The leaders and the community were convinced that only education was capable of transforming reality using updated and renewed knowledge, being able to strengthen ancestral knowledge and values. This meant enhancing the ancestral knowledge in force until today and intelligently assuming Western knowledge in what has been called the Bilingual Intercultural Education System. Another of the educational strategies was to train new leaders who are consistent with history and capable of improving the living conditions of the people. That is the key education route mapped out by leaders.
To those of this people who have fought and continue to fight, with history in mind and with day-to-day actions, we propose today in their memoirs.
Reaffirming that education has been achieved based on constant struggles. With this commitment, the parents, the competent institutions, the leaders, the people in general, reaffirm our responsibility to continue in the search for educational improvement. Because simply without education we cannot talk about a future, much less about existing as peoples. Our parents and our leaders have fulfilled and continue to fulfill their duty; that of ensuring the territory understood in all its integrity, and today the mission is to make it a reality by promoting ancestral knowledge and assuming autonomously, with knowledge and intelligence, the technologies and values that strengthen our worldview. Building the Sumak Kawsay conceived from the visions of the peoples of the Amazon can only be possible with a strengthened education that has ideological and philosophical foundations and principles that our ancestors have forged. For us to strengthen the SACHA RUNA YACHAY IN THIS NEW MILLENNIUM IS TO TALK ABOUT AN EDUCATION WITH ITS OWN AND TRUE WORLD VISION.
Photo communication Sarayaku
Therefore, a specialized commission made up of young students, parents, traditional leaders, led by TAYJASARUTA the instances and ministries of education will be transferred to the city of Ambato. They will make known the conditions in which education is found in the community and the visions that are held to improve education in the community. Currently, education in the community does not have the basic needs for improvement since the struggle of the Sarayaku people was decisive in the defense of their territory. Due to the fight against the violations of the right to life, the abuses committed by the oil companies have had to neglect many advance plans, including education. On the other hand, we hold the State responsible for the fact that the education of our people has not made significant progress since it has thrown it to its fate and into total oblivion.
Therefore, we hope that the response of these authorities, responsible for education in the country, will be favorable without the bureaucracy that characterizes this regime, without blackmail or conditioning. It is the duty of the State to assist us and we have the right to demand a quality and warm education. A true revolutionary process transforms the people with TRUE LOVE AND PATRIOTISM. When we speak of Homeland, then we speak of Humanity.
“Let it be known that the people of the Middle Day not only teach rebellion or revenge, regionalism or mediocre ethnocentrism or to handle a weapon without any purpose, but they also teach how to handle a pen and read a book”
“Possibly before it was impotence and ignorance; Before, it was empty hands, unarmed hands and an uneducated mind: today we try to arm our arms and minds!” As the teacher would say: being educated is the only way to be free.
communication Sarayaku
