Indigenous leaders who participate in the IX National Meeting of Indigenous Students (ENEI), held at Unicamp, were received this Thursday afternoon (28) by rector Antonio Meirelles. Among the leaders was the Guarani-Kaiowá chief, Valdelice Veron, who called for an end to violence against indigenous peoples in Brazil.
The group thanked the rector for the support given by the University to the event – which since Tuesday (26) has brought together nearly 2 indigenous students from various regions of the country at the Barão Geraldo campus, in Campinas.
Electrical engineering student Arlindo Baré, from the São Gabriel da Cachoeira region, in Amazonas, said he was a student in the first class of indigenous students at Unicamp. “Three years after the Vestibular, we realized that the struggle of indigenous people to occupy spaces at universities has grown a lot at Unicamp. The impression is that it has grown more than at other universities,” he said. “I believe that, in 10 years, Unicamp will be a national reference for an inclusion model for indigenous students. And I believe that the model that has been applied here will be repeated in other universities,” she added.
In 2017, when the Law on Ethnic-Racial Quotas at the University was approved, there were 40 indigenous students on undergraduate courses at Unicamp. In 2022, this number rose to 343.
Five years ago, indigenous students made up 0,22% of the total number enrolled at the University. This year this group represents 1,2% of students.
The leaders also called for the deepening of affirmative policies adopted by the University. They requested, for example, specific actions aimed at the retention policy for indigenous students. “We have deep cultural differences. The student who arrives experiences difficulties from the point of view of physical health, but also from an emotional point of view”, said Guarani-kaiowá student, Kellen Vilharva. “And Unicamp needs to be aware of this,” she said.
Kellen was grateful for the way indigenous people are welcomed at Unicamp, but highlighted. “Unicamp also has a lot to gain from our presence here,” she said.
The group also dealt with issues relating to intercultural teaching, to train young indigenous people to teach children in indigenous schools. “Unicamp is one step ahead. You are in the right way. Now we need to expand”, said leader Alva Rosa Tukano, from Amazonas.
Permanence
The dean assured leaders that affirmative policies will continue and that student retention systems will be maintained. “Given everything that has already been achieved, I think it is very unlikely that there will be a retreat in these policies”, he stated. “We want people to come here, stay here and graduate. That is our task”, added the rector. “I am very happy that Unicamp has taken this path [of inclusion] and we want to advance much further”, he concluded.
