Mapuche pottery: Resignification and intercultural implications in a rural Patagonian school

Abstract

Rural schools, especially in territories inhabited by Indigenous peoples, play a central role in the transmission of knowledge, practices, customs, and values that shape community identities. In Chubut of the Patagonian steppe Argentina, historically inhabited by mapuche-tehuelche communities, various efforts have been made to incorporate these dimensions into the educational system. However, this remains a complex challenge, shaped by political, cultural, and territorial tensions. From this perspective, this study analyzes the implications of ancestral pottery in the construction of mapuche-tehuelche identity in a rural Patagonian school. Through qualitative research, this article highlights the importance of re-signifying Mapuche pottery as a means of strengthening local culture. Its symbolic and utilitarian value is emphasized, along with its potential to establish alternative ways of transmitting local knowledge within the school setting. Nevertheless, it is necessary to continue fostering spaces that promote intercultural dialogue. Such efforts could not only strengthen the school community’s sense of belonging but also enhance educational quality according to its biocultural context, legitimizing the coexistence of diverse cultures, their ways of learning, and their relationships with the territory, ensuring equal rights and opportunities.