Preserving Identities and Accessing Global Knowledge: The Educational Paradox in Indigenous and Living Language Contexts

Abstract

This article explores the educational paradox faced by Indigenous communities: the challenge of preserving their cultural and linguistic identities while integrating into a global knowledge society. Based on the case of the Northeast Regional Complex of the Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (BUAP), the study highlights intercultural educational strategies that avoid assimilationist practices by promoting epistemic equity. Programs such as General and Community Medicine include Indigenous languages and traditional health practices alongside scientific training, fostering horizontal dialogue between knowledge systems. The article underscores the importance of moving beyond folkloric inclusion toward structural curricular changes, interculturally sensitive teacher training, and collaboration with Indigenous communities. It advocates for an educational model rooted in epistemic integration, where Indigenous knowledge is validated and empowered rather than subordinated. Recent studies highlight the need to move beyond the colonial cognitive frameworks that have historically marginalized Indigenous cultures, recognizing them as dynamic and legitimate forms of knowledge that enrich educational and scientific processes. The authors consider that by promoting linguistic revitalization, critical interculturality, and global competencies, including English proficiency, the model will enable all students, especially those from Indigenous communities, to share multiple perspectives from distinct epistemic worlds without renouncing their identities. The BUAP experience demonstrates that it is possible to reconcile the preservation of identity while fulfilling the global commitment to higher education. BUAP is an example of how educational institutions can educate students capable of navigating local and global contexts without sacrificing their cultural heritage, which contributes to the broader goals of educational equity and the decolonization of knowledge.