Culture and Community
The indigenous people share a love of music, food, dance and celebrations. The family is the cornerstone of their communities. At Saminay we strive to educate students so that they recognize and value the richness of life in their villages and work to become the future leaders and preserve their way of life.
How we support Community values
Traditional Dress
Indigenous students wear traditional dress once a week and on days when formal attire is required. The school promotes the use of traditional styles such as the men wearing long braids, and women wearing the traditional skirt and blouse. Strengthening the sense of cultural identity and heritage is a key priority for a culture which has been marginalized and discriminated against by the greater Ecuadorian society.
Kichwa
The curriculum at Saminay includes language classes in Kichwa (Quechua), the indigenous language of the region. Classes focus on knowledge of both the culture and language of the Andes. Kichwa is spoken freely throughout the day but classroom instruction is generally given in Spanish. Parents and students are encouraged to speak Kichwa in their homes.
Community Events
Minga
A minga is a community work party used frequently in the indigenous Ecuadorian villages. Friends and neighbors volunteer their time and effort to achieve a shared community goal. Mingas are extremely well organized and rely on trust, goodwill and camaraderie to get things done. We have mingas at the school when we have a big project that requires a lot of help. The parents come dressed and ready for a day of hard work.
Pambemesa
The pambemesa is a large, community meal where all participants bring food to share. The indigenous people of the Ecuadorian highlands view this activity as an act of solidarity and to thank Mother Earth.
Food is spread on the ground so there is direct contact with mother earth to feel her energy. The food for a pambemesa tends to be largely staple items such as mote, corn, rice, potatoes, quinoa, carrots, and fava beans.
Barter Fair
Two times a year Saminay hosts a Barter Fair, called a trueque, A trueque is an ancestral practice where there is an exchange that does not require money and exists to replace the need for cash to sell and purchase products. Traditional trueques took place to obtain a variety of products that were not grown locally. The school Barter Fairs keep community traditions alive.
