Originally from the Kokama ethnic group, inhabitant of Solimões, Maria Eunice Procópio, 22, from Amazonas, was presented this Monday (15) as one of the more than one hundred indigenous students who will start an undergraduate course at Unicamp starting in the second half of this year .
Like what happened to three Kokama women at different times, she decided to study Social Sciences. "When I saw their work, I decided that this was what I wanted to do", said Maria Eunice, who arrived at Unicamp with plans drawn up in detail. Before disembarking, she had already decided where she would live (in the Student Housing) and resolved bureaucratic issues regarding enrollment and her daily life in the city.
But not just that. She said she had already defined in her head the project involving libraries that she intends to develop at Unicamp and then take to Benjamin Constant, the city in Amazonas where she was born. "I'm very happy. It hasn't sunk in yet that I got here. It's a dream that I'm making come true," she said.
A dream shared by dozens of other young people who left different regions of the country to start an undergraduate course at Unicamp. Among the more than one hundred indigenous people who had their first contact with the University this Monday (15th), there were people approved in Medicine, Architecture, Computer Science and all other courses offered by the University. As is the case of Joelson Castro Andrade, 20 years old, the son of a Baré woman and a Tukano father. He had never been to São Paulo. He left São Gabriel da Cachoeira, also in Amazonas – and this Monday he showed up to start a course in Mechanical Engineering.
Joelson said he found it difficult to get around – especially paying for tickets – but he ended up arriving. He admits he is still under the impact of the change. "São Paulo is very different. The difference in culture is very big," he said. For now Joelson is working temporarily in Student Housing, however he is confident that these difficulties will be overcome. "I'm very optimistic," he said.
growth in demand
The number of indigenous students at Unicamp has grown consistently in recent years. According to data presented by Professor Kléber Pirota, from the Permanent Commission for Unicamp Entrance Examinations (Comvest), the University counted on the first edition of the entrance exam, in 2019, with 600 indigenous students enrolled, who competed for 72 vacancies. In 2022, there were 3 applicants for 130 vacancies.
"We are a public University, with around 20 thousand undergraduate students, which is very concerned with inclusion", said the Vice-Rector of Undergraduate Studies, Professor Ivan Toro.
"We have around 45% of students who come from families that earn up to one and a half minimum wage per capita; close to 40% of our students are black, mixed race and indigenous and approximately 42% come from public schools. And that, For us, it is a source of great pride", said Toro. "Having an indigenous student for us is fundamental, because it is a way for us to repay everything that indigenous society has already given to us. We have great hope that, with your presence here, we can learn from the wisdom ancestor of yours", added the dean.
train people
The rector of Unicamp, professor Antonio José de Almeida Meirelles, said that the University's mission is to train people with the greatest possible technical capacity, but also to train people who are citizens capable of valuing aspects of life such as human rights, social justice and democracy. "We are working to change the University so that this is a seed that can change society," said the rector.
Meirelles recalled that indigenous students bring to the University a set of values and knowledge specific to their people and believes that it would be good if this knowledge interferes with what Unicamp researches or investigates. According to him, the approach is beneficial for both sides. "Not only to repair historical injustices, but also so that we can have a much more collaborative future and much more representative of what our country can be", he concluded.
Advisory Committee
Since 2020, Unicamp has had the Advisory Commission for Academic Inclusion and Participation of Indigenous Peoples (Caiapi). One of the instances of Unicamp's Executive Board of Human Rights (DeDH), Caiapi was constituted to meet the specificities of indigenous peoples.
"Indigenous students have a cultural uniqueness and great diversity among them", says professor Josely Rímoli. "And, due to the distance from their communities of origin, they arrive knowing that they will not return home for a year. To give you an idea, São Gabriel da Cachoeira, for example, is five days by boat from Manaus", added the teacher. “So, welcoming is of fundamental importance,” she argued.
Professor Flávio Luis Schmidt, from the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Studies (PRG), said that incoming students will have to follow a certain training path this semester, with subjects common to all courses. For personnel in the Exact Sciences area, there will also be a specific discipline. “From 2023 onwards, this journey will last one year”, said the professor.
Listen to Repórter Unicamp about the reception for indigenous entrants:
See the images of the participants in the reception and reception of indigenous students.
