Education as a space of struggle and hope: an interview with professor Gersem Baniwa on cosmologies and interculturality in the educational field

Abstract

 The interview with Professor Geserm Baniwa, an anthropologist and Indigenous leader, conducted by PET/SOL at the Universidade de Brasília, explores the intersection between political activism and academic training in the trajectory of Indigenous scholars, highlighting the central role of education as a tool for transformation and resistance. Drawing on his extensive experience in the fight for Indigenous rights, particularly in the field of education, Gersem Baniwa reflects on the challenges faced by Indigenous peoples in higher education, the limitations of traditional anthropology, and the emergence of plural Indigenous anthropologies rooted in community realities. The interview also addresses the epistemological gap between Indigenous and Western worldviews, underscoring the need for intercultural policies, more inclusive universities responsive to Indigenous specificities, and the creation of autonomous spaces for knowledge production. The methodology employed was a semi-structured interview based on a thematic script, following the event “In the Kitchen of Research,” organized by the PET/SOL group. The findings highlight the strategic role of differentiated Indigenous education as a path toward emancipation and emphasize the importance of developing schools and curricula that integrate diverse scientific and traditional knowledge systems.