Sikuani indigenous women: ancestral practices and current ways of educational and social participation

Abstract

Even though social participation of minorities has begun to take a more relevant role in Colombia, there are still some populations that struggle to be heard and considered socially, politically and economically; indigenous women being one of them. As a result, knowledge about indigenous women’s social participation in their territories is partial and limited, since most of it is derived from men’s voices and the official government perspective. Consequently, the present study takes into consideration the insights shared by three Sikuani indigenous women regarding their participation inside their community. Their narratives were collected through field notes and semi-structured interviews, which then were contrasted with existing theory; this allowed researchers to directly approach women’s feelings and perceptions regarding their involvement in different social processes. The results show that they hold in high regard their traditional labors concerning the care of their families, as well as their interest to educate themselves and become more active leaders for the sake of their people’s well-living.