REFLEXÕES SOBRE O PROJETO MITÃ AVA E A EDUCAÇÃO ESCOLAR INDÍGENA NO CONTEXTO URBANO DE NAVIRAÍ: AVANÇOS E DESAFIOS DA INTERCULTURALIDADE

Abstract

This article examines the meanings and impacts of the Mitã Ava Project (2021–2024) on the school education of the Guarani and Kaiowá peoples in the urban context of Naviraí, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. The study addresses the problem of weakened territorial ties and the linguistic challenges faced by indigenous children. Based on a qualitative approach and documentary analysis interpreted through the lenses of decoloniality, critical interculturality, and the ecology of knowledge, the research sought to understand how the project organizes its bilingual pedagogical practices, develops its own teaching materials, and promotes the valorization of the Guarani-Kaiowá language and traditional cultural elements. The results suggest that, despite structural weaknesses and the lack of consistent public policies, the Mitã Ava Project creates spaces for intercultural coexistence, strengthens community bonds, and increases children's opportunities for contact with their mother tongue. It is concluded that the project constitutes a unique experience in the municipality, offering relevant insights for reflecting on the possibilities and limits of intercultural education in urban contexts.