Kusi Kawsay Andean School Project

An Elementary School in the Peruvian Andes

Sponsored by Pachamama’s Path, Inc., a public charity under IRS § 501(c)(3) All contributions are tax deductible

Classroom Waldorf Inspired School Initiative based on Andean Traditions

Antecedents

Geographically we are located in an Inter Andean valley. The school is located in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, Pisac, Peru at the base of the Pisac archeological site.

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*Pisac, Peru

After working in educational projects for the past 10 years, the school Kusi Kawsay offers an alternative education in the formation of free human beings with high self –esteem to children who would not economically have this opportunity. This pilot school values, respects and promotes Andean traditional culture. Waldorf philosophy shares a similar approach to life as indigenous Cosmo vision and encompasses our goal to educate individuals within the ideals of a culture of peace and solidarity while practicing the heritage of our ancestors: reciprocity.

This ancestral approach promotes reciprocity between man and nature. Traditional communities practice a chronological annual order of celebrations and rituals, which honor and reciprocate through this calendar with the cosmic cycles (Solstices, Equinoxes, dry season, rainy season). These celebrations will assure the continuum of the culture itself, maintaining harmonious coexistence with their environment. This is endangered by tremendous and devastating colonial imposition on all levels: socially, educationally, economically, religiously and extended with mass information technology. The school calendar will follow this Andean Agrarian calendar.

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Tax-deductible Contributions here

The Kusi Kawsay Educational Association is officially registered and legally recognized in Peru since March 2009.



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Historical Context

For centuries, formal education was denied to the indigenous people of the Peruvian Andes. Not until the 1950s was education officially legalized as a public (and thus publicly accessible) school system. However, for the majority of the indigenous population, instead of being an advantage, nationalized education became yet another tool used to de-value indigenous heritage and to subject its youth to state subservience: in short to perpetuate a colonialist system of domination.

This educational system does not respect the local cultural values. For generations, it has maintained the principle objective of forming individuals (not communities) with an extremely low self-esteem, trained to receive orders and follow instructions and in this way, perpetuating a classist society in which indigenous people are condemned to be the eternal servants and, at most, specialized servants of the dominant economy and society.

The necessity of reevaluating our ancestral culture is part of our commitment. With full understanding that the generations to come will define how this process is managed, we have given our full priority to creating a school that will offer a high level education that will form future leaders while honoring and practicing their traditional way of life that is endangered.

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