Migrant family, school and community in the Equatorial Andes: Permanence and change of cultural identity

The relentless impoverishment of the peasant economy has led the indigenous population to resort to emigration as a way to diversify their survival- related risks. However, this has a serious impact in traditional family relationships and in the transmission and subsistence of cultural identity amon...

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Main Author: Marta Rodríguez Cruz
Format: Article
Language:Spanish
Published: Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales, Sede Ecuador 2020-09-01
Series:Íconos
Subjects:
Online Access:https://revistas.flacsoandes.edu.ec/iconos/article/view/4128
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author Marta Rodríguez Cruz
author_facet Marta Rodríguez Cruz
author_sort Marta Rodríguez Cruz
collection DOAJ
description The relentless impoverishment of the peasant economy has led the indigenous population to resort to emigration as a way to diversify their survival- related risks. However, this has a serious impact in traditional family relationships and in the transmission and subsistence of cultural identity among the young in the communities. The importance of family, school and community as cultural identity transmission agents is taken for granted, but, on the other hand, migration tends to deprive the young from enjoying the benefit of a close father figure while they grow up. Given these facts, the present research aims at two main objectives: a) to find out the consequences of emigration for the reproduction and conservation of cultural patterns among the younger generations, and b) to highlight the role of school and community in preserving traditional forms of identity. Qualitative methods are used, including field observation (participatory and non-participatory), discussion groups, semi-structured interviews and informal conversations. Findings show that the community plays a very important part in preserving cultural identity, in spite of the weakening of the nuclear family and of the fact that the school system is not geared to preserving and protecting indigenous culture. The article concludes that there are not two, but three institutions that are crucial for the reproduction of indigenous ethnic identity: family, school and community.
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spelling doaj.art-710556ac96b74bc8a126b3194434e7552022-12-21T20:55:54ZspaFacultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales, Sede EcuadorÍconos1390-12492224-69832020-09-01246819121010.17141/iconos.68.2020.4128Migrant family, school and community in the Equatorial Andes: Permanence and change of cultural identityMarta Rodríguez Cruz0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4035-4535UNAMThe relentless impoverishment of the peasant economy has led the indigenous population to resort to emigration as a way to diversify their survival- related risks. However, this has a serious impact in traditional family relationships and in the transmission and subsistence of cultural identity among the young in the communities. The importance of family, school and community as cultural identity transmission agents is taken for granted, but, on the other hand, migration tends to deprive the young from enjoying the benefit of a close father figure while they grow up. Given these facts, the present research aims at two main objectives: a) to find out the consequences of emigration for the reproduction and conservation of cultural patterns among the younger generations, and b) to highlight the role of school and community in preserving traditional forms of identity. Qualitative methods are used, including field observation (participatory and non-participatory), discussion groups, semi-structured interviews and informal conversations. Findings show that the community plays a very important part in preserving cultural identity, in spite of the weakening of the nuclear family and of the fact that the school system is not geared to preserving and protecting indigenous culture. The article concludes that there are not two, but three institutions that are crucial for the reproduction of indigenous ethnic identity: family, school and community.https://revistas.flacsoandes.edu.ec/iconos/article/view/4128communitycultural identityfamilyindigenous peoplesmigrationschool
spellingShingle Marta Rodríguez Cruz
Migrant family, school and community in the Equatorial Andes: Permanence and change of cultural identity
Íconos
community
cultural identity
family
indigenous peoples
migration
school
title Migrant family, school and community in the Equatorial Andes: Permanence and change of cultural identity
title_full Migrant family, school and community in the Equatorial Andes: Permanence and change of cultural identity
title_fullStr Migrant family, school and community in the Equatorial Andes: Permanence and change of cultural identity
title_full_unstemmed Migrant family, school and community in the Equatorial Andes: Permanence and change of cultural identity
title_short Migrant family, school and community in the Equatorial Andes: Permanence and change of cultural identity
title_sort migrant family school and community in the equatorial andes permanence and change of cultural identity
topic community
cultural identity
family
indigenous peoples
migration
school
url https://revistas.flacsoandes.edu.ec/iconos/article/view/4128
work_keys_str_mv AT martarodriguezcruz migrantfamilyschoolandcommunityintheequatorialandespermanenceandchangeofculturalidentity