29 November 2024
On November 29, 2024, the ILED Network hosted a webinar exploring the theme of Curriculum and Educational Materials, featuring insights from four of our member organizations: IMPECT (Thailand), FPCI (Panama), SPNKK (Philippines), and Alianza Ceibo (Ecuador).
Curriculum and educational materials have been recurring topics raised by indigenous-led organizations in the field. These resources are critical for indigenous education because most national curricula and educational materials are shaped by colonized perspectives, heavily influenced by national or Western frameworks. This makes it essential to decolonize and recenter these resources to create an inclusive, indigenous-oriented approach.
The session was co-facilitated by Ellen-Rose Kambel (Director of the Rutu Foundation), Sara Barberà (ILED Project Officer), and Caroline de Jong (FPP). Hosted on Zoom, the webinar included two English-Spanish live interpreters and AI-generated translation captioning options, ensuring accessibility for a multilingual audience.
During the event, ILED also welcomed two new members to the network: Riak Bumi (Indonesia) and Lekil Lum (Mexico). These organizations bring invaluable perspectives to the network. More information about these two organizations will come soon on the ILED Networks website.
Key Insights from Member Organizations
SPNKK (Philippines):
SPNKK introduced their “Proud to Be Ata” workbook project, which seeks to address the decline in indigenous language fluency among children. This issue came to light during workshops where the youth voiced their struggles with speaking their native languages. To promote cultural pride and safeguard their heritage, SPNKK partnered with elders and community members to collect and preserve traditional knowledge. Angela, an ILED youth fellow, expressed her appreciation for learning about the Ati community’s traditional health practices. Similarly, fellow youth member Aisa shared her journey of identifying and conserving herbal resources, explaining how these are prepared, processed, and used as herbal medicines—a legacy now being passed on to younger generations. The “Proud to Be Ata” initiative continues to inspire pride and learning among indigenous youth, while growing interest from the Department of Education holds potential for broader recognition and integration of this valuable work.
IMPECT (Thailand):
IMPECT shared a video created by students that documented their efforts to develop a traditional cultural calendar. Alumni from the community school collaborated to record and preserve cultural activities throughout the year, recognizing the importance of this knowledge for younger generations. They visited elders on their farms to gather information, created a draft, and refined it based on the feedback from the elders. After several revisions, they successfully completed the calendar, which now serves as a valuable resource for the community. Despite challenges like limited indigenous education beyond Grade 6 and difficulties coordinating with alumni on weekends, the project strengthened their connection to cultural roots and traditions.
Alianza Ceibo (Ecuador):
Alianza Ceibo presented their efforts to create a curriculum rooted in their cosmologies, emphasizing ancestral knowledges, medicinal plants, and rituals. While the Ecuadorian education system predominantly features Western knowledges, Alianza Ceibo’s curriculum integrates indigenous ways of knowing and strengthens the relationship between communities and nature. Over a two-year period, they collaborated with elders to gather stories, songs, and rituals that form the foundation of their educational materials.
FPCI (Panama):
FPCI highlighted their innovative science clubs in schools, which were developed with the support of ILED and a dedicated youth fellow. The program bridges cultural and scientific knowledge, showing how they often interconnect. Designed for children aged 12 to 17, the curriculum builds on what students are already learning while incorporating cultural context. Activities included a visit to observe sea turtles, regarded as ancestors, and discussions on the cultural and scientific importance of coral reefs and biodiversity. The program also featured a science contest on medicinal plants, blending scientific methods with Guna traditions. FPCI hopes to replicate this successful model in other schools, rewarding youth who actively contribute.
Future Steps for ILED
This webinar marks the beginning of an ongoing conversation about indigenous curriculum and educational materials. Next year, ILED will celebrate its 5th anniversary with the release of a spotlight publication on this critical topic. Building on the success of Pass it on! Stories of Indigenous-led Education from the Grassroots, the new publication will feature case studies, interviews, photos, and videos from member organizations. Stay tuned!