Finally someone I can hope with!

When I first read Freire a few years back I wasn't too impressed. I thought his language was condescending and disrespectful of "the oppressed". Please don't ask me what I was thinking just know I've changed position... I am proud to announce that I am free"er" of my oppressor.

This time around I immediately thought of Maya societies and their encounter with spaniards. Yes indeed beyond a critical pedagogue, Freire is also a post-colonialist (according to D. Macedo). Maya were introduced to "religion" very quickly and despite what some believe to be a renunciation of their beliefs as reflected by the adoption to a new form of "worship", others (of which I include myself) see Maya cultures as an adapting and synthesizing of new practices into their vision of diety.
In todays Yucatan, Peten, and Quiche, Mayan culture is not defined by one "dominant" society but by a mosaic of villages that despite their variations in language and culture, are very much rooted in ancient Maya tradition. In spite of it all, they (we) remain "evolving here".

The above sound like a great survival story. But in reality it is the story of humanity. We are not void of knowledge "empty" heads that need to be filled. Interpollated beings that can only name our situation without an ability to determine our existence and resist. We all carry and exchange knowledge through communication with each other "The pursuit of full humanity [] cannot be carried out in isolation or individualism, but only in fellowship and solidarity". We all have and need to admit to having humanity "...a concept of women and men as conscious beings, and consciousness as consciousness intent upon the world".


"Liberation is a praxis: the action and reflection of men and women upon their world in order to transform it".