The seminar marks the trajectory history of indigenous higher education in Roraima.
The event was held in the indigenous community Canauanim, Serra da Lua region, twenty-five years after the Assembly of the Organization of Indigenous Teachers of Roraima (OPIRR), where collectively the indigenous leaders wrote the "Letter of Canauanim". The document written in May 2001, resulted at the time in the creation of the Insikiran Nucleus of Indigenous Higher Education at the Federal University of Roraima (UFRR).
LETTER FROM CANAUANIM (opens in new window)The seminar was promoted by the indigenous organizations CIR, OMIRR, OPIRR, APIRR and TWM, took place between the 25th and May 26, 2026, and with the participation of leaders, professors from the Insikiran Institute, indigenous academics (students and graduates), pro-rectors of UFRR, high school students and indigenous communities in general, who reaffirmed the indigenous protagonism in the occupation of important spaces.
The executive coordination of the Indigenous Council of Roraima (CIR), composed of Amarildo Macuxi, Tuxaua Geral, Paulo Ricardo, Vice Tuxaua and Kelliane Wapichana, General Tuxaua of the Women's Movement Indigenous people were present at the seminar, reinforcing the role of the organizations Indigenous people in the struggle to guarantee the rights of Indigenous peoples, including access to specific and differentiated education.
Kelliane Wapichana, Tuxaua General of the Indigenous Women's Movement, a graduate of the Insikiran Institute of the course Indigenous Territorial Management, emphasizes that the struggle of the leaders for the creation of the Insikiran Institute was not in vain, bringing the memory of the teachers who were at the forefront in the defense of the important space, such as Fausto Mandulão, Marcos Braga, Edmilson Cavalcante and others who left, but left a legacy of reference.
"This moment is very for us Indigenous peoples, we are gathered here 25 years after the letter from Canaunim, and those who followed it know how much the struggle to conquer this space in higher education at the Insikiran Institute of UFRR was and continues to be difficult, however, I am grateful for each leader who was at the forefront of this struggle Many are no longer here, but they left this legacy of higher education specific and differentiated that is the Insikiran, I am proud to say that I am the fruit of this struggle, as well as so many others who are occupying important spaces", he pointed out Wapichana.
The consolidation trajectory of Indigenous higher education was shared by teachers, leaders and other participants, including Isis de Gorete, coordinator pro tempore of the Insikiran Institute, which accompanied the creation process.
"Insikiran was born to If we think about specific and differentiated education, at that time the main demand was for teacher training then the Teaching Degree Course Intercultural was the first to be thought of, being widely discussed in community meetings together with teachers and indigenous leaders," he said Isis.
Currently Insikiran has three Courses: Intercultural Degree, Indigenous Territorial Management and Health Indigenous Collective, and since its creation they have passed through the institute approximately 1,856 indigenous students, which represents an achievement and strengthening of the Indigenous Movement of Roraima.
"The institute is a space consolidated of indigenous higher education, with achievements, but also challenges, it is necessary to expand the space to strengthen indigenous protagonism, we have effective indigenous teachers at Insikiran and one day these teachers They were students who went through the training process and today they occupy these places," said Isis.
The seminar promoted reflections, Evaluations and proposals and deliberations in the face of the historical process of indigenous higher education at UFRR, which has teachers and indigenous territorial and collective health managers.
Roberto Ramos, professor and at the time rector of UFRR, he was present at the seminar, and highlighted that the Nucleus Insikiran of Indigenous Higher Education was a positive result of the work done collectively, even in the face of the challenges faced at the time.
"It was a challenge for the university receiving an indigenous demand, at the very difficult time for the institution we There were no federal resources, there were no vacancies for teachers, no budget for indigenous incorporation, but even so, the university received this challenge and we ran this project, with Rector Fernando at first and then with me until Arrive at the graduation of the first class and today the Institute continues to give space for the new generations of higher education", expressed Ramos.
Beyond the Institute's entrance exam Insikiran, the Federal University of Roraima (UFRR) offers vacancies through the Process Simplified Indigenous Selective in the other courses of the institution, training doctors, journalists, lawyers, engineers and other indigenous professionals.
For two days they were approached topics such as: The Canauanim Charter and the Indigenous Higher Education Policy at UFRR: an achievement of indigenous peoples; Advances and challenges of the policy of access, permanence and expansion of indigenous training at UFRR; Policies and Financing of Indigenous Higher Education; Discussion of the new perspectives for the policy of access, permanence and expansion of the training of at UFRR, students and professors were able to expose the challenges and their demands to remain in higher education.
Among them, the request stands out by the expansion of the space, debureaucratization of access to aid to students, expansion of courses, greater vacancy in the Permanence Scholarship, residency and other demands that will be included in the second "Letter of Canauanim".
Esley Barroso Tenente, professor and coordinator of the Organization of Indigenous Teachers of Roraima (OPIRR), was part of the class of Intercultural Degree he highlighted that the Insikiran Institute is the result of the collective dream.
"Today we are here to talk of results and we are all the result of this collective dream twenty-five later We are gathered here again, here are people who fought to conquer this space and continue in the struggle to improve access and permanence in higher education and we need to move on and in memory I ask for a salvo of Applause for all those who are no longer here among us, but who have left the fruit of their struggles", reflected Esley.
Also during the seminar, Amarildo Macuxi, General Tuxaua of the CIR emphasized the meetings that the organization has participated with UFRR, to strengthen the partnership between the institutions, highlighting the visit made to the University Hospital and also the delivery of the document that deals with the right to vote of indigenous organizations in the electoral process that deals with the choice of the coordination of the Insikiran Institute.
"I want to congratulate the initiative of indigenous organizations to promote this historic moment, and I pass on the document already delivered to the rector that deals with of the rights of indigenous peoples in the educational process, saying that the right of indigenous organizations in the process of choosing the coordination of Insikiran, It was taken without prior, free and informed consultation and this affects our rights as indigenous peoples and I ask that this process be respected, the institute would not exist if it were not for the struggle of indigenous organizations", said Macuxi.
The seminar was attended by the Pro-Rector of Teaching and Graduation, Dean of Graduate Studies, Dean of Graduate Studies students and Extension of UFRR, in addition to representatives of the Ministry of Education (MEC), Pierlangela Nascimento da Cunha, Secretariat of Continuing Education, Youth and Adult Literacy, Diversity and Inclusion (SECADI/MEC); Dr. Artur Antônio dos Santos Araújo, General Coordination of Student Policies of the Secretariat of Higher Education (SESu/MEC) and Professor Drª. Maria Cristina Mesquita da Silva-General Coordination of Promotion and Support of Programs/CAPES, who participated in the seminar listening to the demands and clarifying doubts about the aid and permanence of indigenous academics in higher education.