1.1. Antecedentes de Investigaciones
1.1.2 Antecedentes Nacionales
Ecojustice education in Africa is based on the premise that rural communities can make unique contributions to the development of curriculum that promotes the learning of sustainable agricultural practices. By drawing on the traditional knowledge Fig. 3 Elder farmer’s posts on data collection website
161 11 Developing a Sustainable Agricultural Curriculum in Malawi: Reconciling a Colonial Legacy
162 G.E. Glasson of sustainable farmers, many environmental problems can be identified and the sustainable practices, passed down through generations, can be included in the cur- riculum to provide a valuable context for learning sustainability science. These indigenous ideas should be explicitly identified and addressed in the curriculum as important funds of knowledge (i.e., Gonzalez et al. 2005) that are essential for the sustainability of both the environment and culture of African countries. Other examples of ecojustice educational efforts that value indigenous knowledge can be found in various sub-Saharan African countries. For example, Dlodlo (1999) devel- oped a vocabulary for physical science concepts in the indigenous Nguni language, spoken in South Africa, Swaziland, and Zimbabwe. In Kenya, Thompson (2003) identified and categorized the traditional knowledge of snakes in the indigenous Keiyo language and, more recently, Mueller and Bentley (2009) documented an environmental science curriculum in Ghana that was focused on intergenerational knowledge of natural systems.
Although western science that is taught in primary and secondary schools can make valuable contributions to the ecological knowledge and economic develop- ment of a community, the validation of indigenous knowledge has been marginal- ized through the imposition of western science curriculum that is based on a deficit model of learning. This Eurocentric model in African education is often decontex- tualized from the local culture and rewards success on standardized tests that assess students’ understanding of western science concepts. Presently, western science is very influential in the school science curriculum but is largely irrelevant to most Malawian villagers (Glasson et al. 2006). Opportunities exist for science educators to collaborate with people from indigenous cultures to develop culturally relevant curriculum that promotes ecojustice and sustainability.
As culture and worldviews are critical to establishing community identity, it is also important to create a third space when developing ecojustice curriculum to consider indigenous worldviews and lifestyles when connecting with western sci- ence. Third space dialogue that promotes reconnection to the local community and place is essential for revitalizing the commons. In the case of the Mobile Malawi Curriculum, the mobile phone technology enhanced the exchange of ideas to create a “cybercommons” (Bowers 2007b) in which information and questions were exchanged freely between a sustainable farmer, the primary school teacher, and children. In this case, mobile phone technology was used to connect intergenera- tional knowledge with primary school education for the purpose of restoring the cultural and environmental commons. The free exchange of questions and ideas presented an alternative to didactic instruction that promotes consumerism or com- pliance with western agricultural curriculum. Although Bowers (2007b) cautions against misuse of communication technology for corporate profits, employing mobile phones that is prevalent in the African culture may be important for future curriculum development that promotes intergenerational learning and revitalization of the cultural and environmental commons. Future work that promotes the revital- ization of the commons within a third space context should also be inclusive of the indigenous knowledge of elders that may be embedded in vernacular languages of citizens in the community.
163 11 Developing a Sustainable Agricultural Curriculum in Malawi: Reconciling a Colonial Legacy
Reflections
As a citizen from an affluent western country, I have learned humility and gained much respect for the culture and people of Malawi. From my first encounters with Malawians, I found my students and friends to be incredibly resourceful and open to learning about new ideas that are essential to the survival of their environment and culture. Although widespread poverty still exists amongst the beautiful tea plantations and throughout the country, revitalization of the commons is essential for the Malawians to maintain their sense of place and cultural identity. It was very gratifying to find strong examples of communities reconnecting with their tradi- tional culture through our research and curriculum work related to ecojustice in Malawi. I look with amazement and admiration at the strong sense of caring that the citizens show for each other.
I have also learned that the empowerment of Malawian people requires that they understand how their colonial legacy and continued globalization affects their future livelihood, culture, and sense of identity. The students I worked with were willing to discuss sustainability issues that have affected their families for generations; however, it was only after working as equal partners over time that I was able to gain the trust of Malawians to share these deep-rooted issues associ- ated with colonialism. In my role as a researcher and professor, listening to the voices and ideas of Malawians was essential for developing an understanding of their indigenous knowledge that was essential for developing an ecojustice cur- riculum. In the process, I realized that I had as much to learn about myself and place in the world as I did about the continuing plight of Africans for a sustainable future.
Although Malawian children are most familiar with their local village life, the opportunity exists through ecojustice education to be connected to the larger global society. Through a place-based and community-centered approach, the Malawians are in the process of developing these connections by valuing their own culture and traditional knowledge while at the same time expanding their understandings of global socioscientific issues. By connecting indigenous agricultural practices to western science concepts, teachers and children will learn to value knowledge and practices that are part of their everyday lives. Although western science has pro- duced many benefits for improving our standard of living, we have much to learn from Africans and their legacy of living sustainably.
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In his essay summarizing his experiences in learning firsthand about Malawi, Dr. Glasson has identified problems and issues that could be almost every/any country in Africa today that shares a colonial past. His emergent emotions and sensitivity to the people and their situations in the context of eco-injustices have allowed him not only to see Africa through a new lens, but also to connect with the people through third space dialogue. That is, the learning space of two differing cultures or individuals is extended by allowing dialogue and reflection to take place beyond the physical time and space constraints limited by each one’s own cultural beliefs and knowledge. The issues, challenges, and solutions to Africa’s persistent problems have historically been viewed though a variety of lenses, often from a top-down distant perspective beginning long ago with the illogical partitioning of people and kinships, total insensitivity to the indigenous cultures including lan- guages, and disregard of traditional access to shared resources that had no boundaries or ownership. Colonization also came with different motives and guises: religious, economic, social, political, agricultural, and educational. Jomo Kenyatta (1965), musing over postcolonial rule and its legacy as Kenya’s first president, stated that he had not realized as he signed a declaration of nationhood, that the British intent was limited to political independence, but continued economic and social depen- dence had been established and was to be perpetuated.
Almost 40 years ago, as a young US Peace Corps volunteer asked to teach biol- ogy in Uganda, I was provided some wisdom from a young Ugandan history teacher and colleague. Turyahumura cautioned me stating: “First, there are those of you who come here for 6 months and go home and write a book on us because you think you know everything about us, and then there are those of you who come here for 2 years and go home and write a dissertation on us because you think you know all there is to know about one thing in great detail about us, but I challenge you that if you stay for 10 years you will not be able to write a page on us, because we are much more