The assumption of this question is to inquire if indigenous traditionally cultural identity play a vital role in indigenous faculty's individual academic career development. I would like to ask whether that identity, or part of their identity, is of advantage or disadvantage to them in their academic careers (e.g., tenure track, promotion, employment, their own tribal sustainability). And why? In the era of this globalization, what kind of expectation should be desirable for the optimal indigenous talents, intelligentsia, and professionals?
I think, a good example was the Universidad Intercultural Amaytay Wasi in Ecuador (http://www.amawtaywasi.edu.ec/) that was -sadly- closed down supposedly for lack of academic quality a few month ago. Their way of building up an indigenous and intercultural university consisted of a series of transversal strategies: integration of indigenous languages in the classroom, a specifically decolonial conception of learning and studies, the integration of traditional indigenous wise men and women (yachay) in the process of learning and and extensive program that connected the students to different indigenous communities. At least as a discourse, this project seemed to be really interesting and offered a lot of alternatives for a non-eurocentric education.
Thank you Philipp for your excellent example (I just browse the official webpage) and concise explanation. I have been reflecting on my previous assumption for a so-called successful or qualified indigenous faculty. Your comment also makes me start to question my standpoint of asking this question. Do I try to host a single mainstream (or non-indigenous) standpoint to redefine (or impose on) a successful indigenous faculty? But if we take indigenous-based stance to define a good indigenous faculty, would it reversely limit an indigenous faculty's other multiple development? For instance, an indigenous faculty member wants to conduct research that may not be highly associated with, or contribute to, indigenous communities. Is it okay for us to call this indigenous faculty as a successful/good indigenous faculty? If a faculty has a indigenous blood or tribal identity/status, but has no desire to engage in indigenously relevant studies. Can we define he or she as a bad indigenous faculty? I have been contemplating what kind of indigenous faculty will be helpful in indigenous and non-indigenous worlds. To what extent does a cultural identity should be embedded within an indigenous faculty that will be helpful in mainstream and indigenous societies? How can we avoid the binary (either-or) answer while raising this kind of question? Is there any constructive understanding or thoughts underlying this question or existing within various academic communities? Who can define it? Is there any universal criterion for it? Or shouldn't we raise this question? Is it a meaningful (desirable) goal for academics to strive for defining a successful indigenous faculty? Welcome any follow-up discussions or feedback!
Che-Wei, at least in Latin America, the experience is that indigenous persons who do succeed in higher education often lose their cultural background due to the kind of this education. So, you find indigenous persons working with state or interstate institutions - and doing stuff that actually harms their people. Mainly, because they are now convinced of the Western way of thinking. This has been analyzed in part by a theory called coloniality of knowledge.
Philipp, thank you for your example. I originally assume that that case is my imagination. In fact, this case seems to happen in some indigenous areas. This also stirs me to explore the real factors that make indigenous insider choose to do something harmful to their own people. We really need to make good use of education for indigenous populations.
Hello Che-Wei,
The story from Ecuador duplicates another one from Regina, Canada. In this case, a new university closed after only a few years for similar reasons (lack of quality and production of graduates). A new "Aboriginal" university in Northern Manitoba is also struggling to survive. One of the problems is they advertise with "aboriginals preferred" with the result that they lack faculty and unable to attract students in areas with booming populations, which is strange. The Government may pull back their funding.
The aboriginals as faculty members in established universities that I know have done well and helped their communities back home. You can call them successful both in their job as well as in preserving their culture. After all they have relatives, some still in reserves with whom they keep contact, attend rituals and celebrations. They in turn have access to the training that these universities are offering. So, their relatives can get educated and continue the cycle.
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