Land, and Early Childhood: Participatory Research with Mapuche Communities for Possible Futures in Chile

• In Event: Land, Language, and Intergenerational Learning: Indigenous Pedagogies of Place, Kinship, and Continuance Across Generations and Geographies

Abstract

This study explores the conceptions and practices of Mapuche communities in relation to early childhood education within intercultural preschools in southern Chile. Through participatory methods—including community mapping and semi-structured interviews—conducted across the Araucanía, Los Ríos, and Los Lagos regions, the research identifies three central findings: (a) the educational value of sociocultural activities and culturally significant spaces; (b) territory as a holistic and complex space encompassing spiritual, historical, and ecological dimensions; (c) the importance of territory-based learning for identity formation, environmental relationships, and revitalization of the Mapuzugun language. Grounded in place-based and decolonial education frameworks, this research contributes to rethinking early childhood education by centering Indigenous epistemologies and supporting alliances between preschools and communities to foster culturally relevant and territorially grounded pedagogies

Author

• Rukmini Becerra-Lubies, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile