This summer, a new education initiative called The International English Minga will gather Achuar and American educators for English as a Second Language (ESL) training and the development of an innovative curriculum to ensure the cultural heritage, sovereignty, and economic alternatives of Achuar communities.

As the Ecuadorean government puts millions of acres of pristine rainforest at risk with proposed new oil development, the training provided by the International English Minga will expand the capacity for Achuar communities to build a sustainable and self-determined local economy that honors their unique way of life.

International English Minga from Lily Hollister on Vimeo.

Expanding the Concept of “Minga”

Minga is a Quechua word used by indigenous peoples of both the Andes and the Amazon to describe a work party, much like a barn raising. All the members of a community come together with one common purpose, such as repairing the roof on a neighbor’s house or building a canoe. Strenuous work is repaid in food and drink and the minga will often lead to a night of dancing, sometimes even until sunrise the next day!

The International English Minga seeks to strengthen the English skills in Achuar elementary school teachers and to improve their ability to manage and conduct activities related to ecotourism.

In the Ecuadorian Achuar territory there are two internationally renowned ecotourism projects, the Kapawi and Ti’inkias Ecolodges. Ecotourism strengthens the self-determination of the Achuar and their vision of a sustainable alternative to extractive industry development in their territory.

Launching this Summer

Lily Hollister and Kyle Solomon, who were volunteer English teachers in the Achuar territory during the years 2009-2010, lead the International English Minga.

They have found enthusiastic collaborators at the University of San Francisco (USF), and a team of two professors and 10 doctoral students from USF’s Department of Multicultural and International Education will join them for the program launch this summer.

From July 14 to August 4 of this year, 20 Achuar teachers from diverse communities in the rainforest will gather with the team from the North in the community of Wachirpas, near Kapawi Ecolodge, to be trained to teach basic ESL in primary schools across their territory.

Along with ESL training, participants will also develop an intercultural curriculum, adapted to the daily reality of the Amazon Rainforest, respecting and valuing the traditions and ancient wisdom of the Achuar.

Learn More About this Innovative Program

The International English Minga has far-reaching implications for the advancement of education in Achuar territory, and great potential to make that process more culturally responsible, honoring and perpetuating the Achuar people’s vast reserves of traditional knowledge.

As Lily Hollister says, “The best people to carry forward this message of hope and to disseminate this knowledge are educators of every stripe: schoolteachers and shamans, university professors, coaches and scholars.

“My dream is that this minga will lead to many others, and that we can foster an ongoing collaboration between the North and South; that from this work a sense of empowerment can take hold, and inspire a world of fresh possibility.”

Visit the International English Minga website to learn more about the program and how you can get involved.