Análisis comparado sobre patrimonio cultural indígena y currículo: Australia, Chile y Sudáfrica

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to conduct a comparative analysis of national curriculum regarding the way indigenous culture patrimony is treated in three different contexts; Australia, Chile and South Africa. The following curriculum is analyzed; Australian case Cross-Curriculum Priorities: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures (2015); South African case, National Curriculum Statements: Grades R-12 (2013), and finally for the Chilean case Marco Curricular Lengua Indigena 1o a 6o basico (2009). This study suggests that it is necessary to value indigenous culture patrimony in the curriculum. The challenge for curriculum developers, however, lies within the creation of strategies and orientations for contextualized learning with indigenous and non-indigenous students. The analysis conducted uses a qualitative methodology, comparing the cases along three dimensions: identity, curricular categorization and indigenous content knowledge. The results allow for the development of curriculum projections on an adequate focus of indigenous culture patrimony, considering as a priority, the validation of these communities’ knowledge. This study concludes that in all three cases, a monocultural curriculum has been preserved, incorporating a limited vision of indigenous culture patrimony. This option has affected processes of identity building, national integration and cultural differentiation.