Provocations to give new meanings and decolonize the University: an analysis of the indigenous students from the Universidade Federal da Fronteira Sul

Abstract

Introduction: The indigenous presence in higher education has been among the current guidelines of academic discussions. Despite being a recent theme, it shows that we need to research and connect with the educational, cultural, social and political challenges of our time, not only to understand the world we live in, but, above all, to create possibilities for its new meanings. Objective: Therefore, this text aims to problematize the university, prejudice, discrimination and Eurocentric epistemological hegemony from the experiences of indigenous students at the Federal University of Fronteira Sul. Methodology: The purpose is to contribute to reflections about access, permanence, experience at the university and the meaning of this schooling for indigenous peoples, taking the decolonial perspective as the articulator of the analysis. We seek to problematize the possibilities that indigenous people, an ethnic group victim of genocide, epistemicide and ethnocide, have to contribute to the transformation and new meanings of the university by being present in this space. Result/Conclusion: We realize that the indigenous students still face difficult situations, which are colonial relationships and the suffering generated by them, and that it is necessary to break paradigms and build possibilities to break the cycle of violence that is still going on.