Page 394 - Cultural Studies of Science Education

31 On Critical Thinking, Indigenous Knowledge and Raisins Floating in Soda Water 369

firmly entrenched in the highly Europeanized Malawian schools. Certainly, the
young preservice teacher’s perspective was similar to other answers that suggested
that “the majority of Malawians remain caught up in the notion that theirs is an
obscure, insignificant identity that has nowhere but Europe and America to look to
for education and modernity” (Sharra 2002, p. 4).
Picking up on my silent, but less than receptive response to his answer, the
young preservice teacher asked me what I thought the purpose of schooling was. I
pointed to my Kincheloe influenced, purple silicone, wristlet band embossed with
Kincheloe’s favorite saying, “Life is good,” and proceeded to talk to the young man
about the notion of schools being one place where we can end, or at least ease,
human suffering. For a month and a half, I had been travelling across Malawi trying
to develop an initial understanding of the country and observe but primarily listen
to people’s perspectives on the state of education. Of course, it is common and correct
to state that Malawi’s people are overwhelmingly kind and its land beautiful, but,
as Glasson et al. (2006) notes, there are other elements in regard to human suffering
that are difficult to overlook.
“But, You Know, We are Very Poor”

Across south central Africa, Malawi, and her people, are known as the “Warm Heart” of
Africa. Sadly, however, the gentleness of the Malawian people and the vast beauty of the
Malawian countryside do little to hide the desperate environmental conditions of Malawi,
as well as the impoverished living conditions of most of its inhabitants. (Glasson et al.
2006, p. 661)

Poverty and poor health is abundant in Malawi. Many people openly voice that
the youth of Malawi have little economic opportunity and many note that health-
related issues ranging from HIV/AIDS to poor quality of drinking water make
waterborne diseases, such as typhoid and cholera, an ongoing concern. The World
Health Organization puts the “healthy life expectancy” of the average Malawian at
35, as compared with 69 for a U.S. citizen and 72 for a Canadian.
While sitting outside with a village elder, I commented on the fantastic clarity
of the night sky, unpolluted by artificial light and remarked how lucky the villagers
were to actually be able to see this inspirational sight that has now been lost for so
many of us living in highly industrialized societies. The village elder, nodded in
agreement, looking up at the sky and responded, “but, you know, we are very poor.”
Putting my “rose colored glasses” aside, for the vast majority of people living in
Malawi, life is extremely difficult.
For many people from traditional cultures in developing countries, living in poverty and on
the brink of survival in environmentally degraded conditions is the norm. Therefore, under-
standing indigenous science and technology or how scientific knowledge is understood and
applied in everyday life contexts may have important implications for curriculum reform
in primary science and environmental education in developing African countries. (Glasson
et al. 2006, p. 663)
Foremost in my observation of and conversations with academics and activists was
that the education system in Malawi is predominantly “traditional” in nature, with a
classic teacher-centered format being the standard pedagogy. Qualified primary