Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Xukurus




The Xukuru tribe has a population of approximately 10.000 people – about 1.800 families spread out within 23 villages. Since the 1980, they have been fighting for the title to their land and many leaders have died during this process. As part of the fight for their land, they are incorporating their culture and rituals in their educational process. The result is a deep change in their thought about education which is supported not only by the community and their leaders, but also by non-profit organizations such as Centro de Cultura Luiz Freire (CCLF) and Centro Indigenista Missionário (CIMI), which work with education and human rights. Their goal is to improve Xukuru’s internal connection, their self-esteem, and their education.

Os Xukurus tem uma população de aproximadamente 10.000 pessoas, em torno de 1.800 famílias espalhadas nas 23 aldeias da reserva. Desde os anos 80, eles vem lutando pelo título de suas terras e várias lideranças foram assassinadas nesse processo de retomada. Como parte da luta pela terra, os Xukurus incorporaram sua cultura e rituais no seu projeto de educação. O resultado foi uma profunda mudança no processo educacional que conta com o forte apoio de organizações não governamentais ligadas à educação e direitos humanos. O objetivo é desenvolver a conexão interna da comunidade, sua auto-estima e seu sistema de educação.


Xukuru do Ororubá



The Xukuru Schools
I am researching their educational system through the 42 existing elementary schools and their only high school which supply their demands for around 4000 students. Many students leave the reservation to other urban centers in order to continue their education. This is one of the problems faced by the Xukuru people.


There is a strong lack of adequate physical spaces that reflect the Xukuru culture and that could be used for their activities. The schools have a precarious infrastructure which does not support their educational process improvement. This gap can be filled with an architectural intervention.