Linguistic Policies and Intercultural Reception of Warao Indigenous Children, Youth, and Adults in Piaui, Brazil

Abstract

The work presents the experiences of training and monitoring educators involved in the Alfabetizacao sem Fronteiras project, from the Municipal Department of Education (SEMEC) of Teresina-PI, and the Nebu TumaDaomata Tane Naminakitane Youth and Adult Education (EJA) project, from the State Department of Education of Piaui (SEDUC-PI). These actions were developed with Venezuelan indigenous people from the Warao ethnic group who are in a refugee situation in the capital of Piaui. By recognizing the potential of these experiences as examples of intercultural, translanguaging, and Freirean reception practices, we aim to highlight the linguistic policies considered in the literacy processes and repertoire mobilization with students of this ethnicity, within the municipal and state public education networks of that city. To this end, classroom observations with children and adolescents in SEMEC schools were conducted, as well as the collection of materials used in the experience with adults from SEDUC-PI. It is hoped that highlighting these actions and producing a pedagogical guide with guidelines for educators in the context of the EJA Intercultural Warao will contribute not only to the continued inclusion of this socioeconomically vulnerable community but also to the deepening of educational policies committed to ensuring their linguistic rights in Brazil.