Wiki 2 N1 Rombolá 1












1- a) Before reading, observe the text and determine: type of text and source.
b) Analyse paratext: title, subtitles, tipography, text organization, graphics, pictures (How do they relate to the title?)
c) Taking all this information into account, make a hypothesis about the content of the text.

2- Read the text. Remember to focus first on known and transparent words. Then, selectkey words (they must be semantically related to the title) and justify your choice.

3- Translate the underlined text.

4- What do the following elements from the text refer to?
It (line 4):
This date (line 7):
They (line 22):
their (line 31):

5- Explain the changes suffered by the following words from the text (word formation):
Landed (line 6):
Peoples (line 8):
Symbolizes (line 9)
Healthcare(line 20):
Racism (line 23):

6- Summarise the main idea of the text in one or two short sentences.

7- Check your previous hypothesis.

8- Answer:
a- Explain in your own words the phrase “For the descendants of indigenous peoples, however, this day symbolizes the beginning of their cultural destruction” (lines 8-9).
b- Why are some groups demanding the elimination of the so-called “Day of theRace”?
c- Explain why some groups prefer to focus on October 11th instead of 12th.


11 October:
Last Day of Freedom of Native Peoples in the Americas
Like any other story, history itself has two sides, depending on who tells it. The history of the Americas as we know it has been told from the point of view of the conquerors. It describes the Native Americans as inferior creatures that wereignorant and superstitious, so they had to be civilized.
On 12 October 1492, the Italian navigator Christopher Columbus landed on the Caribbean Islands, seeking a new route to the East. This date, known as “Day of the Race” or “Columbus Day”, is celebrated as the beginning of the conquest of the Americas or the “encounter of two worlds”. For the descendants of indigenous peoples, however, this daysymbolizes the beginning of their cultural destruction. Before the arrival of European colonizers, they had their own customs, food, rituals and beliefs. Then they were dominated, deprived of their land, and forbidden to live in their own way. The impact of colonization was devastating: Europeans expropriated Indian possessions and destroyed their symbols of identity, imposed their language, religionand culture, and brought epidemic diseases, exploitation and slavery amongst others.
Today there are about 40 million indigenous people of different ethnic groups in the Americas. In some countries, like Peru, Bolivia and Guatemala, they make up the majority of the population. In others, like Mexico and Brazil, in spite of being a minority, they are still historically and ideologicallysignificant. Although these groups are recognized in some of their places of origin, Native Americans are some of the poorest and most discriminated against communities in the continent. They have been displaced to arid lands and mountainous areas with a low farming production and serious communication problems, which leads to limited access to education and healthcare. This discrimination has beenacknowledged in recent years: the real significance of 12 October has been highly questioned by indigenous communities, historians and activists for human rights, who demand the elimination of the so-called “Day of the Race”. They claim that the idea of superiority based on racial differences is scientifically false and socially unfair. The word “race” has only been used to justify racism anddiscrimination.
Some suggest that 12 October should be transformed into the “Day of Cultural Diversity of the Americas” in order to focus on the different ethnic identities and their contribution to the building of nations. Others prefer to commemorate 11 October as the “Last Day of Freedom of the Native Peoples in the Americas”. For indigenous people, this is the day to remember and honour their ancestors...