Indigenous Epistemology and Chicana/Chicano Identity

1. Indigenous Epistemology and Chicana/Chicano Identity

2. In Lak EchMayan Philosophy Túeres mi otroyo / You are my other me. Si tehagodaño a ti / If I do harm to you, Me hagodaño a mímismo / I do harm to myself; Si teamo y respeto / If I love and respect you, Me amo y respetoyo/ I love and respect myself.

3. Panche Be • ‘To seek the root of the truth’ or ‘to find the truth in the roots’ (Dr. Cintli)

4. Hunab Ku • Name the Maya gave in their language to the equivalence of the Supreme Being or the Grand Architect of the Universe (Hunab Ku, 1970). • This indigenous concept provides an understanding that all living beings are connected to the world, nature, community. • It allows us to see that our existence depends on relationship with la tierra (Earth) and with eachother (humanity).

5. Duncan, J. & Morrell, E. (2008). The Art of Critical Pedagogy: Possibilities for Moving from Theory to Practice in Urban Schools. “It means framing a classroom and social culture that utilizes critical pedagogy to critique notions of equal opportunity and access, making education a weapon to name, analyze, deconstruct, and act upon the unequal conditions in urban schools, urban communities, and other disenfranchised communities across the nation and the world” (p.10).

6. Los CuatroTezcatlipocas Nahui Ollin Yayauhqui Tezcatlipoca: Tezcatlipoca Iztac Tezcatlipoca: Quetzalcoatl Tlatlauhqui Tezcatlipoca: Xipe Totec Texouhqui Tezcatlipoca: Huitzilopochtli Ometeotl

7. TezcatlipoCa “A reflection, a moment of reconciliation of the past with the possibilities of the future – not a vision of light but an awareness of the shadow that is the smoke of light’s passing. It is the Smoking mirror into which the individual, the family, the clan, the barrio, the tribe and the nation must gaze to acquire the sense of history that calls for Liberation”. -Tupac Acosta

8. Romero, A.; Arce, S.; & Cammarota, J. (2009). A barrio pedagogy: identity, intellectualism, activism, and academic achievement through the evolution of critically compassionate intellectualism. Race, Ethnicity and Education, 12(2), 217-233. “This ability to remake or recreate their schooling experiences offers Chicanas/os with the opportunity to realize and/or strengthen their humanity. It is for this reason that engaging students in the Chicano epistemological practice of Tezcatlipoca is vital. In this liberatory moment students are moved toward realizing their humanity through self, familial, and community critical reflections. Without their humanity, Chicanas/osstruggle to gain a critical consciousness.” (p.221)

9. Quetzalcoatl • Quetzal = precious/beautiful • Coatl = serpent symbolic of knowledge • Represents: “Precious/Beautiful Knowledge” • Stability as a person

10. Quetzalcoatl “From the memory of our identity, the knowledge of our collective history we draw the perspective that draws us to the contemporary reality. From this orientation we achieve stability, a direction found in time tested precepts that allows our awareness and knowledge of the surrounding environment to develop. This awareness and knowledge merge to form the “conciencia” of a mature human being…” - Tupac Enrique Acosta

11. Romero, A.; Arce, S.; & Cammarota, J. (2009). A barrio pedagogy: identity, intellectualism, activism, and academic achievement through the evolution of critically compassionate intellectualism. Race, Ethnicity and Education, 12(2), 217-233. “This acknowledgement that students, their familias, and their community are both bearers and creators of knowledge is framed within the Chicano indigenous framework of Quetzalcoatl. While the knowledge systems, culture and lived experiences of Chicanas/os – Raza have been marginalized and stripped from them in public schools and institutions, these classes embrace this ‘precious knowledge’ and identify it as a pedagogical tool for the purpose of developing the ‘consciencia’ or critical consciousness that is necessary for the self-determination of the community.” (p.231)

12. Huitzilopochtli “LA VOLUNTAD. WILL. The Warrior spirit born with the first breath taken by each newborn infant in the realization that this human life we are blessed with is a struggle requiring physical effort for survival. The exertion of this life sustaining effort evolves into a discipline, a means of maximizing the energy resources available at the human command which in order to have their full effect must be synchronized with the natural cycles…” - Tupac Enrique Acosta

13. Romero, A.; Arce, S.; & Cammarota, J. (2009). A barrio pedagogy: identity, intellectualism, activism, and academic achievement through the evolution of critically compassionate intellectualism. Race, Ethnicity and Education, 12(2), 217-233. “This acting upon and countering of injustice to create change is also framed within a Chicano indigenous framework of Huitzilopochtli. The continuous validation of the students’ culture is put forth through the identification and engagement in this process. It is through this Chicano epistemological process of Huitzilopochtli that students act upon ‘la voluntad’ (the will) to be positive, progressive, and creative to bring about justice and rehumanization for themselves as well as for those who have the power and position to dehumanize.” (p.229)

14. XipeTotek • Identified as our source of strength that can only be achieved when we are influenced through the heart. It is this strength that we need that allows us to transform and renew. We can achieve this transformation only when we have learned to have trust in ourselves.

15. XipeTotek Xipe =shedding of our skin To = our Tekutli = guide Our guide to transformation

16. Revealing Cultural Wealth in Chicana/o Communities (Yosso, 2006) • Aspirational Capital: “the ability to maintain hopes and dreams for the future even in the face of barriers” • Linguistic Capital: “intellectual and social skills learned through communication experiences in more than one language and/or style” • Navigational Capital: “the skills of maneuvering through social institutions” • Social Capital: “networks of people and community resources” • Familial Capital: “cultural knowledges nurtured among familia (kin) that carry a sense of community history, memory, and cultural intuition” • Resistant Capital: “knowledges and skills cultivated through behavior that challenges inequality”

17. Works Cited • The majority of this PowerPoint was provided by Sean Arce, Ex-Director of the Raza Studies Mexican-American Program in Arizona. • He presented this information on Nov. 2012, at Heritage University as key note for the PNW NACCS FOCO Conference.