N áhuatl mandatory in public schools in Mexico City

[Marcos Villaseñor]

Thanks


On Aug 19, 2007, at 4:55 PM, Douglas Hinds wrote:

>
>> I am looking forward to read what the Indigenous leaderships says
>> about the subject.
>
>> Marcos
>
> In response to your request (plus I too am interested) I was able to
> discuss this with Jesus, the ex-head of Sedesol's indigenous support
> program who is also Secretary General of the Consejo Supremo
> Nacional Indigena, an organization originally formed in 1521 (the
> first time the various indigenous "ethnias" had banded together) in
> order to preserve their culture at the point they realized that the
> invading forces could not be stopped (Guns, Germs and Steel?).
>
> During the 90's the CSNI was reestablished as an Asociación Civil
> (non profit organization). However, when Amalia Garcia refused Fox's
> offer to head the Social Development Secretariat, that position was
> claimed by the party Fox used to get into power. (For those unaware,
> Mexico's electoral processes are publicly funded -something the USA
> sorely needs- and the funds are channelled only through political
> parties).
>
> Then, the split between Mexico's National Indigenous Institute (INI)
> and the Interamerican Indigenous Institute (III) became even
> greater, when Fox changed the name to something totally different,
> ignoring the Pazquaro Accords Mexico signed in the 1940's.
>
> Although the last PRI government helped form the CSNI originally,
> the group is interested in establishing it's own political presence
> in order to achieve the degree of autonomy that the constitution
> (and the C169) indicates, particularly in the municipalities (which
> include rural areas in Mexico - city governments do not exist as
> such, except for the Federal District D.F.) in which they constitute
> a majority and yet, often lack even a single councilman (regidor).
>
> Doing this requires resources that should be available this year or
> next. (I thought that this might be of interest to some of you,
> particularly any in Mexico that might want to collaborate).
>
> Getting back to Marcelo Ebrand's initiative, Jesus wasn't sure
> whether the measure is obligatory or not but thought that it was and
> in any case, it begins tomorrow (Monday). He too wondered where they
> were going to get all the nahuatl instructors this will take.
>
> Unfortunately I still couldn't get through to Santiago in
> Tamazunchale but I'll try again at 6 am tomorrow. IAC, Jesus agreed
> that Santiago probably teaches *in* Nahuatl but doesn't teach
> Nahuatl itself (although I suppose he could).
>
> It seems to me that if they're going to teach Nahuatl they ought to
> teach the culture also.
>
> I could also check with another PRD govt. near el D.F. (Edomex) that
> might know more about this, since it's a PRD initiative and we have
> an established relationship with that particular local govt.
>
> Another thing - I used to teach language and IMO, 3 or 4 classes a
> week of 2-3 hours each are needed in order to do much good and if
> it's any less than that I doubt that it will take on much
> significance, educationally speaking.
>
> Douglas Hinds
>
>
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>


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