Students from UTSC Sociology's Global Field School are currently taking part in a two-week trip to Costa Rica along with Prof. Dani Kwan-Lafond and Indigenous Grad Students Paul Pritchard and Miriam Orozco. Students from UTSC and TEC University in Costa Rica are visiting a number of Indigenous territories in the country.
They have visited the United Nations University for Peace, where they met with UN Representative for Indigenous Issues in Costa Rica, Yanory Rojas, and TEC University, where students attended a talk on Indigenous access and challenges to higher education in Costa Rica.
Finally, students were hosted in BriBri Indigenous territory, where they discussed and learned about land, nationhood, self-determination and cultural resurgence. The group visited a family-run project, Casa Aiko, to learn about the traditional preparation and significance of tsirú (cacao) in BriBri culture. Students got to experience hiking through the rainforest. Prof. David Arias and local guide Baillarino Oniel were on hand to explain BriBri land stewardship and culture.
The UTSC and TEC University students have many more exciting experiences and adventures planned, so watch this space for updates and check out this photo gallery of the trip so far!