Evolution of a Dream:

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Evolution of a Dream

• The Emergence of Mayan Ethnomathematics and
  Indigenous Ways of Knowing

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at a Mayan Autonomous School in Chiapas, Mexico
by Dr. Faviana
Hirsch-Dubin

• Estamos aqui. Todos somos viento.
• We are here. We are the wind.
• -Tzotzil Mayan saying

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Ancient Mayan World orMundo Maya

• Before the Spanish conquest, the Mayan world
  consisted of Southern Mexico, Guatemala, and
  parts of Belize, Honduras and El Salvador

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(No Transcript)
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The Context of Chiapas

• Southernmost state in Mexico
• 30 indigenous
• 36 Tzotzil Maya-largest group
• 80 of indigenous live in Highlands, Northern
  Zone, and Jungle

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Context continued

• Extreme poverty mostly subsistence agriculture
  (83) 70 malnourished
• Minimum wage43 pesos per day (4)
• 40 no electricity or running water
• 70 have dirt floors
• 1 doctor for every 25,000 people

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YET

• Chiapas generates 54 of the countrys
  hydroelectric energy
• 30 of Mexicos surface water is in Chiapas
• Mega-projects are underway to extract natural
  resources
• (source SIPAZ and CIEPAC)

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And Mayan Education?

• 40 no formal education
• 37 dont speak Spanish
• 42 15 and older are pre-literate
• Government schools teach in Spanish and dont
  include pre-conquest history
• Therefore, no Mayan history, language, culture

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Emergence of EZLN

• Basta Ya on January 1, 1994
• Rejection of NAFTA
• Develop autonomy in all areas, including
  education
• Autonomy is a self-initiated and self-defined
  community-based democratic process.

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Autonomous Schools

• Bilingual, Maya-centered education
• Honors Mayan culture, traditions and indigenous
  ways of knowing
• Promoters (teachers) encourage a collective,
  critical learning process with students.
• Run by the communities

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Our Project Developing Mayan ethnomathematics

• Ancient Mayan mathematics hard to access
• Every people has its roots and must defend
  them. The Mayans observed the stars without great
  lenses and could tell all the planetary cycles.
  That education of ours was destroyed.
• -Adrian
  (3-26-02)

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Our Project cont.

• Project guided by values and terms of indigenous
  leadership
• Ethnomathematics in marginalized cultures
  challenges Eurocentrism (Bishop, 1988
  DAmbrosio, 1985 Gerdes, 1985 Powell
  Frankenstein, 1997)

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2x22x2

• Debate over 2x22x2 no matter what
• universal vs. Mayan ethnomathematics
• Why did this matter?

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Maya-centered mathematics

• Develop consciousness of Maya-centered
  mathematics over time (4 years)
• Happens in own rhythm own time
• Explore ancient Mayan system math embedded in
  cosmology, art, rituals, agriculture, weaving,
  embroidery more

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Potential cultural loss

• Danger of losing some cultural traditions
• Changes in ancient vs. modern practices
  Tzolkin ritual calendar, prayers before planting,
  respect for nature

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Agency ethnomathematics language

• July 2003 articulated by promoters students
• One team of students said, Mayan mathematics is
  the ideas of the Mayan world in which numbers
  were invented by necessitythis represents basic
  concepts of our culture.

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Daily practices Mayan ethnomathematics

• Symmetrical patterns in embroidery weaving
• Measure milpas (cornfields)
• Use Haab solar calendar in Tzotzil

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Conclusions

• Mathematics problematized
• Resources arguments provided for Mayan view of
  mathematics
• Intercultural dialogue indigenous approach to
  knowledge construction
• Collaborative teaching as basis for research
• Mayan ethnomathematics did emerge

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In the words of a student

• We are descendents of the ancient Maya. They had
  extraordinary knowledge and could calculate
  things in an advanced way. We want to follow in
  their footsteps because we are also Mayas.