Teaching of Educational Content Expressing Mapuche Values to Children in Initial Education in La Araucanía Region, Chile

Abstract

There is a lack of knowledge about Mapuche educational values among teachers in kindergartens located in indigenous territories. The object of the present work was to identify educational content expressing Mapuche values, to contribute to an epistemic base for the education of boys and girls, both Mapuche and non-Mapuche, with an intercultural perspective. The methodology used was qualitative educational research, with a focus on indigenous research, following the interpretive paradigm, through a collective study of kindergartens attended by Mapuche children in the district of Saavedra. Sixty-seven people participated: children, parents, kimches (Mapuche sages), and Initial Education professionals. The preliminary results are organized into three categories of value content: (a) educational; (b) family and community education; and (c) teaching in Initial Education. It is concluded that the teaching of Mapuche educational values in early childhood should be coordinated between kindergartens, families, and the community; some ideas for teaching these values are suggested.