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La educación alternativa y comunitaria y el rol de la minka en la comunidad de Chukidel Ayllu Llakta – Lagunas en Saraguro: Un enfoque intercultural y multilingüe
No full textEsta monografía discute dos casos de educación alternativa y comunitaria, respectivamente, entre el espacio educativo Yachay Kawsay y la escuela comunitaria Inti Raymi en el pueblo de Saraguro en la provincia de Loja, Ecuador, utilizando la información de la observación y las entrevistas. Específicamente, yo examino la práctica indígena de la minka, lo que es y cómo desempeña un papel en el funcionamiento de la educación en la comunidad de Chukidel Ayllu Llakta – Lagunas, del apoyo por los padres a la alimentación de los estudiantes hasta la recaudación de los fondos para propuestas educativas. Además, yo examino la metodología educativa dentro de la educación alternativa y comunitaria, como el “aprender haciendo”, y la interculturalidad a través del idioma kichwa y los saberes ancestrales del Pueblo Saraguro
Letters to a Glacier; An Experiment and Critique of M. Jackson’s Glacier-Ruins Narrative
Get PDF“Words are events, they do things, change things. They transform both speaker and hearer; they feed energy back and forth and amplify it. They feed understanding or emotion back and forth and amplify it.” —Ursula K. Le Guin
Letters to a Glacier; The Buoy Project Isafjordur is an ongoing invitation to the people of Isafjordur to write a letter to a specific glacier in Iceland onto a collection of discarded buoys gathered from the Isafjorudur and Bolungarvik junk yards. Over a period of two days on November 9th and 10th, I actively invited customers in the local cafe Heimabyggð to take part in the project. The project was advertised in various locations around Isafjordur in both English and Icelandic. Places with posters included: The University Center, the hallway between the dance studio and Edinborg, Hamraborg, and Heimabyggð. The event was also advertised on Facebook and Instagram by Heimabyggð. A total of 24 letters were written by the public during this time. The transcript of those letters are included at the bottom of this document. The buoys will be returned to the Isafjordur junkyard, so they might be used as buoys at a future date.
I chose buoys as a medium for glacial letter writing because they are widely available objects often seen in fishing or seaport towns. Their natural buoyancy is uplifting. The colors are both fun and alarming. And in the predicted scenario where many Icelandic glaciers will melt, they might meet the water of a glacier, and the glacier can meet the words.
In this essay I will critique M. Jackson’s glacier-ruins narrative, and make a case that the role of art in climate discourse is not to make predictive statements, or imagine alternative futures. But instead, it’s role is to reflect and question both its subject matter and the structures that contextualize the art, and provide a space for people to experience and conceptualise our realities through alternative mediums
Rethinking Language Teaching Methods and Materials
Get PDFWith a vast number of people speaking and learning English all over the world, the English language has shifted from being a national language to an international language and finally into a global language. However, English is often taught in a very exclusive way in which English language learners are often times only introduced and exposed to the language practices of speakers who have historically held the most power and prestige in the English-speaking world. One result of this teaching methodology is that many English learners are being taught language practices that are not reflective of how various English speaking communities are actually using the language. Another result is that non-native English speakers are often viewed as deficient and are not capable of being effective English language teachers. This is not only a practical issue since many English learners are not being properly prepared to be competent global English speakers but also a social justice issue since classroom materials are creating the implication that certain forms of English are legitimate while other forms are not. In this paper I will explore ways to make English learning more authentic and inclusive so that English is taught as the global language that it is
Beach suitability for nesting Olive ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea), Playa Malena, Azuero Peninsula, Panama
Get PDFSea turtle species all over the world are facing continuous declines in their populations partly due to diminished viable nesting habitat. Understanding sea turtle nesting preferences and the suitability of beaches for reproductive success is necessary in order to sustain their populations and ensure their conservation. Olive ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) are one of the species experiencing this trend, especially in the Eastern Pacific. This study examined the beach suitability of a site known as Playa Malena in the Azuero Peninsula in Panama for Olive ridley nesting. This site was compared to the suitability of 7 other surveyed beaches along the same coast with nesting populations of Olive ridley sea turtles. Since the microhabitat of a beach is an important determinant of successful nesting for sea turtles, this study aimed to identify the influence of certain beach characteristics on completed nests with deposited eggs compared to aborted nesting attempts. It was found that Olive ridley females strongly prefer sandy beach sediment over gravel and pebbles to lay their eggs. The physical beach suitability and the level of human impact for each site was assessed using the Sea Turtle Nesting Beach Indicator Tool and compared to identify areas in need of future monitoring and conservation. Suggestions are made about future applications of the Indicator Tool in the face of rapidly degrading nesting habitat worldwide
A Ladder of Endemicity: A pioneering study of anuran communities along an elevational gradient in the Eastern Andean Cloud Forests, Ecuador
Get PDFPer unit of area, Ecuador is home to the most herpetofauna of any region on Earth, yet many ecosystems are under researched. Positioned between the Eastern Andes and the Amazon rainforest, the Río Pastaza Basin of Ecuador has been the recent focus of anuran biodiversity surveys and is home to many endemic species. This study aimed to determine how the anuran community composition of a vertical transect in the Llanganates National Park varied between elevations. A 7-day expedition was conducted along a new trail up Abitagua Range spanning 1,050 m in elevation. Each night, visual encounter surveys were employed to assess the species richness, biodiversity, and similarity of each site sampled. The 6 sites were grouped into 3 categories by habitat type and elevation: Disturbed Forest (1,450-1,500 m), Low Primary Forest (1,450-1,675 m), and High Primary Forest (2,150-2,500 m). Each site housed very different community compositions, and 7 potentially new species were discovered above 1,600 m elevation. The Primary High group had the highest diversity, and 6 of the potentially new species were discovered in that elevational range. Future investigation should focus on high elevation habitats in the Llanganates as a source of undiscovered herpetofauna biodiversity.
Para unidad de área, Ecuador tiene la cantidad más alta de herpetofauna en el mundo, pero muchos ecosistemas no han sido investigados. Entre los Cordillera Oriental de los Andes y la Amazonía Ecuatoriana, la cuenca del Rió Pastaza ha sido el enfoque de investigaciones recientes de la biodiversidad de ranas, y la región es el hogar de muchas especies endémicas. Este estudio intentó analizar cómo la composición de las comunidades de ranas se diferencia entre alturas diferentes con un transecto vertical en el Parque Nacional Llanganates. Una expedición de 7 días fue cumplida a lo largo de un sendero nuevo de 1,050 metros de altura en la Cordillera Abitagua. Cada noche, muestreos de encuentra visual fueron hechos para evaluar la biodiversidad y la riqueza de especies en cada sitio valorado. Los 6 sitios fueron divididos en 3 grupos según su tipo de hábitat y altura: Bosque Afectado (1,450-1,500 m), Bajo Bosque Primario (1,450-1,675 m), y Alto Bosque Primario (2,150-2,500 m). Cada sitio tuvo una comunidad muy diferente, y 7 especies posiblemente nuevas se descubrió arriba de 1,600 m de altura. El Alto Bosque Primario tuvo la biodiversidad más alta de los tres grupos, y 6 de las especies posiblemente nuevas se descubrió en este rango de altura. Estudios en el futuro se deben enfocar en las regiones de elevación alta en los Llanganates como una fuente de biodiversidad de herpetofauna no descubierto
A biological assessment of water quality in El Placer, Ecuador: The effect of agriculture on stream health and the quality of historical versus current drinking water sources
Get PDFAlthough fresh water is one of Ecuador’s most abundant resources, high quality drinking water for its inhabitants is scarce (Wingfield et al., 2021). The most prevalent sources of water pollution in Ecuador are domestic waste, silver and gold mining, oil production, and agricultural chemicals (Buckalew et al., 1997). El Placer, a village located in Tungurahua, Ecuador, is highly dependent on agriculture as a source of income. The first objective of this study was to determine the effect of agriculture on the El Placer’s Tía Anita Stream through comparing the water quality at three sites with varying agricultural influence. The second objective was to investigate the quality of El Placer’s historical and current drinking water sources. These objectives were carried out through comparison of chemical factors, physical factors, hydromorphological quality, and macroinvertebrate composition at each of the study sites.
Macroinvertebrate and hydromorphological analyses agree that agriculture did have an effect on water quality in the Tía Anita Stream, suggesting that Site 3 (no agricultural influence) had higher water quality than Sites 1 and 2 (both were influenced by agriculture). Chemical analysis did not agree with these biological findings, but suggested that Site 1 had the lowest water quality, whereas Site 2 had the highest water quality. This inconsistency may have been due to physical factors such as stream velocity causing a higher sediment load in Site 1 (EPA, 1997). Macroinvertebrate, hydromorphological, and chemical analyses agree that Site 4, El Placer’s historical water source, had moderate water quality. It is important to note that, in the past, Site 4’s water quality was likely higher. Macroinvertebrate, hydromorphological, and chemical analyses agree that Site 5, a stream from El Placer’s current potable water source, had very good water quality
Land Use as a Predictor of Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) Presence on the Entebbe Coast of Lake Victoria, Uganda
Get PDFLake Victoria is shared amongst Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda and has tremendous ecological, economical, and cultural significance. Within the lake system, there are several problems, including the proliferation of an invasive weed, water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes). Therefore, this study aims to assess several factors that may correlate with water hyacinth proliferation. The specific objectives are (1) to identify possible correlations of water hyacinth density and land use around Entebbe, Uganda, and (2) to identify annual trends in water hyacinth coverage, to better inform policy and conservation efforts. Entebbe has a coastline of six land cover types: flooded vegetation, trees, grasses, shrub/scrub, crops, and built area. It was hypothesized that coastal areas adjacent to agriculture have a higher density of water hyacinth due to agricultural nutrient runoffs and flooded vegetation and built areas have higher abundances of water hyacinth due to a high amount of waste.
The first specific objective employed a systematic sampling method, counting 41,615 water hyacinth around the coast of Entebbe, and was compared in QGIS with Sentinel-2 land use/land cover satellite imagery. The second specific objective employed remote sensing with a normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). Twelve eMODIS satellite images were created on QGIS to map the percent coverage of water hyacinth in the Ugandan part of Lake Victoria.
Flooded vegetation was found to have the highest density of water hyacinth, followed by crops, trees, built area, grass, and scrub/shrub. Additionally, 94% of water hyacinth was found on the left side of Entebbe. The most intense water hyacinth blooms occurred during June and July reaching 10.7% coverage, following the rainy season and maximumannual temperatures.
The high densities within flooded vegetation and croplands are likely due to organic pollution runoffs. These results support previous research which found high temperatures and eutrophication to cause water hyacinth proliferation. This study theorizes that several unknown factors cause water hyacinth proliferation and thus control solely through mechanical, chemical, and biological means is treating a symptom, not the cause. Future research can explore this, adding to this study’s sample size, analyzing the different water dynamics for each land cover type, and further assessing the observation that water hyacinth presence may act as an indicator of organic pollution runoff
Soil Not Oil: An Assessment of the Role of Earth Jurisprudence in Restoring Biodiversity Conservation in the Indigenous Bagungu Community, in Uganda
Get PDFAn Earth-centered way of living is essential in Western Uganda, along with many more repressed regions affected by giant corporate evils. The purpose of this study was to assess the contribution of Earth Jurisprudence in the restoration of conservation in the Indigenous Bagungu community. More specifically, this study examines the customary laws and rituals used by the Bagungu, the strategies used to decolonize their culture, and their perspectives on foreign influence and globalization. Key-informant interviews were conducted with seven custodians and questionnaire-led interviews were administered to thirty-one clan members from the districts of Buliisa and Hoima. The study sample size was obtained through convenient sampling and analyzed through quantitative content analysis and descriptive statistics. While the official definition of Earth Jurisprudence was not commonly known among the community members, an eco-centric mindset still heavily influenced the livelihoods of each clan. The major findings highlight the importance of implementing Earth Jurisprudence in government by identifying a growing global influence that has created a decline in community participation in sacred nature worship. Additional findings brought to light that the perspectives of the Indigenous Bagungu community on oil activities were overall negative. The results of this study highlight the necessity for awareness of Earth Jurisprudence on a global and governmental scale. This study shows that incorporating the Rights of Nature in governance would greatly benefit Indigenous communities both politically and environmentally, thus aiding in the conservation of nature. It is recommended that the Rights of Nature be implemented into governance at local, national, and global levels. The researcher recommends educating communities on Earth Jurisprudence and providing governmental and societal support for the African faith
Man v.s. Wild: An Analysis of Language Used Regarding Human-Wildlife Conflict in the Kibale National Park Community, Western Region, Uganda
Get PDFIf humans are to live sustainably and in harmony with wildlife in the vicinity of Protected Areas, policy makers, and government authorities need to make informed decisions with consideration to the needs of local communities. For this to happen, policy makers must understand the perceptions of local communities and take local perspectives into account. As language is at the root of perception, language was studied in the context of its role in shaping local perceptions of human-wildlife conflict and consequential conflict mitigation strategies. Six communities around the Northern region of Kibale National Park, Uganda, were studied, with sites located in the Mugusu sub-county, Sebitoli Park region, and Kyenjojo district. The main problems that communities around Northern Kibale currently associate with living near the Park and wildlife are crop-raiding, hunger or famine, poverty, death, disease, lack of education, and lack of development. Results additionally indicate that language is being used in these communities to redefine human-human conflict as human-wildlife conflict and to reframe wildlife as a symbol for conflict between human stakeholders. Moreover, community responses indicate that the current mitigation strategies used in the area are not effective and the current rate of conflict is not sustainable. Policymakers must understand the problems facing these local communities to create and implement effective mitigation methods. Further research is needed to supplement this study in additional locations and with the addition of individual interviews along with focus group discussion
The Odyssean Dilemma: Homelessness as Home and the Search for Ithaka
Get PDFThis research project aims to explore the concept of “home” as expressed in the analogical Homeric figure of Odysseus in his journey to Ithaca. The research involves an inquiry into the meaning and reality of the concept of home in the context of both the Moroccan culture and the lives of displaced persons who find themselves located in Morocco. Engaging existing definitions of migration and a concept of homelessness expressed by Nietzsche, the theoretical research involved in this project provides a conceptual framework from which I examine the set of interviews obtained. The interviews conducted with both Moroccan nationals presently living in Morocco and migrants currently living in Morocco, are foundational to further analysis of fieldwork conducted at the local Catholic Cathedral while teaching an informal English as a second language class to a group of Sub-Saharan migrants. The central questions of the research are: what does “ithaca” consist of? How can we understand it and how does it inform the livelihood of the population of displaced persons? How can the experience of displaced persons inform a more complete understanding of the concept of home