2002年3月，我见到的第一个彝族村小学教师是马黑拉牛，52岁，在收古村补莫小学教书12年，月工资补贴不足200元，是位忠厚善良的彝人。该小学年久失修已经垮塌，经多方协调村里腾出一间约20平方米的土屋（原为村民活动室）作为孩子们的临时教室，屋顶木板瓦的缝隙透过的阳光成了教室的照明光源，如遇雨天学生们就自然停课。一村民悄悄地告诉我：“孩子们的课桌和凳子是马黑老师用自己的工资买来的木料，锯成板子亲手做的。”虽然只是用木棒做支架钉上木板就成了课桌，粗糙简陋，但一个民办彝族教师为孩子们读书，如此尽心竭力，让我肃然起敬。
　　2003年11月，我去看望马黑拉牛，他激动的拉着我的手说道：“乡里拨了6万元钱，修了一间新学校，从今往后孩子们读书不会淋雨了。”新修的教室95平方米，就读的学生增加到77人，民办教师增加到2人，还从区中心校调拨了一批旧桌椅。补莫小学一年间的巨大变化，对我来说有些突然，不管是出于什么原因，我都为读书的孩子们高兴。马黑老师邀请我说；“你们对村小学的关注，给学校带来了大变化。你是贵客，今天一定去我家。”他嘱咐人回家杀羊子。我理解彝人的好客与真诚，但我还是推说要赶往别处婉言谢绝了马黑老师的好意。说实话，一只羊对城里人来讲就是一顿饭，而对彝族百姓来说那就是一年的收入啊！
　　如今在城市里普及教育已基本完成，已经进入到公立与私立并存的改革阶段。城市家庭供养一个孩子读书一般而言已不成为突出的矛盾，而农村，特别是山区农村，孩子读书却是非常严重的问题，象收古村的彝族百姓人均年收入只有170多元，生活都难以为继，供养孩子读书更是无法支撑。
　　2006年4月，我又去看望马黑老师，他的家还是老样子。村小学的学生已实行了“两免一补”，代课老师的月收入也从过去的200元降到了100元，每天只有3.33元，马黑老师的儿子原先在乡中心校代课，也因收入太少，已外出打工了。布拖从2005年起已经在全县的中小学校实施了“两免一补”的政策(即免学费、免书本费、寄宿生补助餐费)，对那些大凉山腹地乡村的孩子们来说，无疑是雪中送炭。
　　2003年8月22日，我驾车从衣某返回布拖县城，正值学生放学，小学生们见到我的车都自觉停下来行礼，我不知其中原由，下车问一个十二三岁的学生：“为什么向我们行礼？”学生说：“学校为培养学生的文明礼貌习惯，规定路遇小汽车，必须行礼致敬！”小学生的话引起我的思考，中国本是礼仪之帮，文明礼貌的确应当从小培养和提倡。但是，为什么只向小汽车行礼？为什么不向大货车、马车、牛车行礼？
　　同年，11月24日，太阳已经走到了西边。从衣某洛迪村出来，土墙上白色醒目标语闯入眼帘：“少喝一瓶酒，多买一本书”。在布拖的乡村来来往往已经是第3个年头，却是第一次看到这样的倡导知识的标语，我不禁一阵欣喜……
　　在大凉山彝人村落的小学校，通行着汉、彝双语教育。经1980年实施彝文规范化使用后，彝文从过去各地不规范使用的8000多个文字规范成现今通用的819字。经过对布拖彝人聚居区的乡村、小学等处的走访调查，基本文本都是通行汉语。但是，目前在腹地的村落中，除年轻的彝人能说些汉语外，大多数上了年纪的老人都不会说汉语，还有少数连听都听不懂。

^_^

　　　　The Village School

　　Mahe Laniu, 52, the first Yi teacher I met in March, 2002, had been teaching with the Bumo primary school at Shougu village for 12 years with a monthly salary less than 200 yuan. He was an honest and good hearted man. The school building had collapsed due to many years of disrepair. After great efforts coordinating all the village agencies, a former room for community activities was vacated and made into a makeshift classroom. It had a space of only 20 square meters and was so shabby that it was well lit by sunshine through the rifts on the roof when it was fine and when it rained, the class had to stop. A villager whispered to me, “all the desks and chairs in the classroom were made by Mahe Laniu, the teacher himself, who bought timbers out of his own pocket and did all the carpenter work on his own.”Though the desks and chairs were simply made of wooden rods roughly nailed with wooden panels, the teacher’s devotion and dedication won my great respect and admiration.
　　In November 2003, I paid a special visit to Mahe Laniu. Holding my hands, he told me in excitement that the township had allocated 60,000 yuan to build up a school there. Hence, children would no longer suffer from rains in their classrooms. The students increased to 77 with 2 teachers. A number of second-hand desks and chairs had been transfered to the school from the central school on the district level. The great change taking place within one year was amazing and I was really happy to learn the good news for the children. Mahe Laniu said: “It was your attention and concern for the school that brought us a big change. You are our distinguished guest and I sincerely invite you to my home.”He immediately had someone prepare to slaughter a sheep at his home. However, I declined this by creating some excuses. While deeply respecting the Yi hospitality and honesty, I was also aware that one sheep meant a major part of income over the year for an Yi villager even though a sheep only made an ordinary meal for rich urban people.
　　The mandatory education system has long been established in China’s urban area, filled with both public and private schools as a result of reform. Family support for a child in education is no longer a big issue. However, in rural area, particularly in remote mountainous villages, schooling remains a serious problem for children. With an average annual income of 170 yuan, the Yi villagers in Shougu village could hardly keep living. Certainly,supporting their children’s education was far beyond their capability.
　　I went to visit Mahe Laniu again in April, 2006. His home looked the same as before. His son, a former backup teacher at the township school, had quit his job and made his way to other places to earn his living because salary for backup teachers reduced from 200 to 100 yuan. As of 2005, all primary and middle school students in Butuo began to enjoy waivers from tuition and textbook fees,as well as subsidized meals and boarding. This was a huge favor for the children who live in the hinterland of the Grand Liangshan mountainous areas in dire need.
　　Bilingual education of both Han and Yi languages are offered in schools at the Yi villages in the Grand Liangshan. Since standardization of the Yi language in 1980, the Yi language has been standardized from some 8000 irregular characters used by various Yi tribes into most commonly used 819 characters. Through visit to the Yi villages, the Han language was found prevailing in the basic textbooks. However, in the Yi communities within the hinterland, only young people speak standard Chinese and most of the elderly people are unable to speak, some even don’t understand standard Chinese at all.

文章来源：《布拖记事---大凉山腹地彝人生活实录》