A trajetória de escolarização de indígenas na UFAM e as vivências do racismo anti-indígena

Abstract

It is understood that throughout the historical process of colonization of the Brazilian territory, the original populations underwent a strong project of civilization, which consisted of catechizing the natives in order to make them adopt European values. This resulted in a forced change of cultural patterns that modified habits, religious beliefs, behavior s and left deep consequences on indigenous populations. And it is currently manifested as negative stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination, which are part of the systemic construction of racism and which limits and excludes people and groups according to their ethnic racial belonging, causing emotional damage to the people affected. The objective of this work is to analyze the psychosocial effects of anti indigenous racism on the academic trajectory of indigenous students enrolled in undergraduate course s at the Amazonas Federal University (UFAM). We carried out a qualitative, descriptive and field research. The participants were four indigenous students (women) enrolled in undergraduate courses at UFAM who, through an open narrative interview, reported t heir school trajectory, the challenges and mishaps encountered at the university and the episodes of anti indigenous racism they experienced within the academic environment. Based on the theoretical basis of Critical Social Psychology and based on content analysis, we established the following categories and thematic units: 1) Academic path (school trajectory; arrival at university; permanence difficulties, support network and achievements); 2) Stereotypes, prejudice and episodes of racism in the school and academic environment (culture shock and episodes of discrimination); 3) Identity conflict (feeling of not belonging). We argue that the episodes of racism have a strong influence on the trajectory of the students, who highlight that the situations generat ed feelings of non belonging, demotivation and helplessness, also pointing out feelings of identity conflict that led them to question their experiences and the need for their permanence at the University. Therefore, we conclude that the inclusion of indig enous students in higher education is permeated by mishaps and complexities that range from socioeconomic factors and learning difficulties to episodes of discrimination and racism. And that these permanence difficulties affect both the students' experienc e at the university and their emotional aspect.