Despite Adults: Learning Experiences on the Tapajós River Banks

Abstract

AbstractIn this article, I analyze learning practices that take place in the everyday life (outside of school or other institutional setting) of two villages in the Amazonian region of the Tapajós River basin in Brazil. These practices closely match the main attributes of what has been referred to as a “learning through intent participation” (Rogoff et al. 2003), or “learning as progressive participation in communities of practice” (Lave and Wenger 1991) model—with one important difference. While the child learners may be keen participant observers, the experts display little interest in collaborating with novices or evince much empathy for them. I will describe and analyze the relationship between the rather disengaged experts and the eager novices, showing that this process can only be understood if we consider broader aspects of social relationships among peoples of the Tapajós.