Have you ever wondered what happens when you connect knowledge from academia with the cosmovision of traditional communities? Or when you connect students from different countries to work with indigenous and quilombola youth? At the “Faces of Bocaina” project, we’re on a journey to find out . We are experimenting with education that trusts the process as it unfolds, paying attention to the co-creation of knowledge and how learning happens in interactions and relationships.
We spent two weeks amidst the lands of the Guaranis Mbya, Quilombolas, and Caiçaras in the Atlantic Region of Rio de Janeiro/São Paulo (Bocaina Region). We were welcomed by the great people of “Observatory of sustainable and healthy Territories” – OTSS bocaina, connected to the Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro. Connected to this observatory there is the “forum de comunidades tradicionais”a place for connection and work among the traditional communities of Bocaina. With the native communities we are co-creating a documentary that tells the story of their culture, heritage, and their ongoing struggle for territorial rights. Our focal point is “Bem Viver,” a cosmovision inspired by the indigenous of Latin American. It embodies the principles of 1) biocentric sustainability, ensuring harmony with all living beings in nature; 2) social equity, promoting harmony among all human beings; and 3) personal satisfaction, fostering inner harmony.
Our goal here is to design a regenerative education system where students can learn firsthand by engaging with a diversity of cultures, perspectives, and ways of knowing.
We believe that today’s societal challenges cannot be solved using centralized frameworks and single perspectives, and regenerative education is a must for the promotion of a sustainable and peaceful planet.
As we embark on this journey, we tap into the power of community and connect individuals from different cultures and belief systems to create community in action/learning communities.
The outcome of this project is a documentary that amplifies the voices and wisdom of the traditional peoples of Bocaina and inspires us all to rethink and reflect upon the crises facing our contemporary civilization.
This documentary isn’t just a visual piece; our ambition is to promote education that can be a catalyst for inspiration and change. This is connected to the strategy of Breda university of Applied Sciences in making education more intercultural, international and transdisciplinary. Breda University holds the vision of education for and in a continuously changing world with the mission of empowering young professionals on their journey to shape a better world.
Click here to see some pictures