WELCOME GRADUATE STUDENTS

FLAS Indigenous Language Courses June 13-July 23, 2022
Sponsored by
University of Wisconsin at Madison

Brigham Young University

University of Florida

Florida International University
University of Pittsburgh

Ecuadorian Kichwa, Achuar, and Wao Tedero Language Courses

Program Overview: Amazonian Kichwa is taught by Professors Tod D. Swanson, (Arizona State University), Janis B. Nuckolls (Brigham Young University), Armando Muyulema, (University of Wisconsin at Madison) and Nely Shiguango. The class frequently goes into the forest with traditional elders. Origin stories and songs to species are recorded and translated in class. As ability in Kichwa improves students formulate their own research questions in Kichwa. While studying the languages students receive a grounding in the Amazonian social relation to nature and cultural thinking about the environment from top experts in the field. The Achuar and Waorani programs are by native speaker instructors under the supervision of Tod Swanson. Students make lasting contacts with native communities for future dissertation work. Life changing for many. 208 FLAS Fellows from 40 Universities have attended since 2000.

Each program offers 140 contact hours spread over 6 weeks. Students are evaluated upon entry and again upon completion of the course using the IRIS testing instruments provided by the USDE. All students receive grades for courses.

Applicants for FLAS Fellowships must be citizens or residents of the United States and enrolled in a graduate program (MA or PhD) of their choice. Students from FLAS Granting Universities should apply for FLAS Fellowships through their home universities. Students who are enrolled in non-FLAS granting institutions may apply through Florida International University or the University of Wisconsin at Madison. To apply: Please email or call Tod Swanson at tod.dillon.swanson@gmail.com; Phone 480 276-5913. We plan to hold the program in country. All participants must be vaccinated. If conditions change and the FLAS granting universities should prohibit travel, the program will be held virtually. as in the previous two summers.

Perhaps the best resource we have are our graduate students who are the emerging leaders in the field of Amazonian Studies. Key to the life of Iyarina are the life long friendships graduate students form with each other, faculty, and with the native storytellers and artists who are in residence at the field school throughout the summer.