Construction and implementation of the “Pedagogy in Mapuche Language and Culture” program at the Catholic University of Temuco, Chile

Abstract

This article presents the results of the co-construction process of the Mapuche Language and Culture Pedagogy Degree -Kimeltu Mapunzugunael- at the Catholic University of Temuco, in south-central Chile, Mapuche territory - Wallmapu, which was institutionally approved in 2022, and is currently being studied by the second cohort of students. It exposes the results of the contextual participatory diagnosis, based on dialogues and representative meetings with different actors of the social and institutional environment, where visions, needs and requirements of the formal institutions were collected, specifically from the normative frameworks, as well as the own view and expectations of mapunche members of the territories. In effect, this article is organized in seven sections, namely: 1) Current situation of the Mapuche language and the need to revitalize it, 2) the opportunities offered at the Catholic University of Temuco, 3) national policies that favor the creation of the career, 4) educational immersion as a methodological possibility of teaching, 5) experiences of teaching native languages in Chile, 6) training plan and its initial phase of implementation and, 7) final considerations and projections of implementation.