The contribution of indigenous and local knowledge systems to ipbes. African indigenous education was organized and administered the way the learners could easily adapt to it. Examples include indigenous or traditional dances, music, designs, utensils, terms and expressions, food security, human and animal health, education and natural resource management etc. Indigenous knowledge systems and intellectual property laws. Indigenous knowledge has been discussed globally for at least ten. The paper therefore raises the sensitivity of intellectual protection of such. Indigenous knowledge systems and has earmarked funding for iks projects. The name indilinga stands for the circle orientation of indigenous african communities which is exhibited in their material culture and behaviour. Indigenous knowledge systems crossing epistemological.
Against this background, african indigenous knowledge systems and sustainable development. Culture, indigenous knowledge and development in africa. The practice of iks, including the healing traditions of africa, became a crime. Linking indigenous knowledge systems, transport and rural. Indigenous knowledge and developing countries innovation. Protection of tribalindigenous knowledge traditional. The above kiswahili quotation, said to me during fieldwork by a smallscale farmer in coast region in tanzania, translates into english. The journal has been motivated by the need for a dependable expression for critical and analytical writing on issues related to production, dissemination and recognition of indigenous knowledge systems. African indigenous knowledge and the disciplines gloria emeagwali central connecticut state university, usa and george j. Director, dstnrf centre in indigenous knowledge systems, university of kwazulu. Commission on civil rights issued a comprehensive report. Such local knowledge is the product of indigenous peoples direct experience of the workings of nature and its. Indigenous knowledge world bank documents world bank group. Although african indigenous knowledge systems aiks have existed for thousands of years, their concept and practice began to emerge in the science spheres only three decades ago.
The study examined the characteristics of indigenous knowledge systems iks influencing their utilization by rice farmers in ekiti state of nigeria. Do we have anything to learn from indigenous education models. Indigenous knowledge systems iks refer to cultural, traditional and local knowledge that is unique to a specific society or culture mapara, 2009. Indigenous knowledge systems and practices iksps in the. University of toronto, canada this text explores the multidisciplinary context of african indigenous knowledge systems from scholars and scholar activists committed to the interrogation, production. The paper begins with a brief discussion of the theoretical frameworks, followed by an explanation of the methodological approach. Indigenous knowledge systems and intellectual property. Knowledge systems, indigenous knowledge and indigenous technical knowledge 4 2. These knowledge forms are known by other names, and among them are indigenous ways of knowing nyota and mapara 2008, traditional knowledge, indigenous technical knowledge, rural knowledge as well as ethnoscience or peoples science altieri 1995. Indigenous knowledge systems manifest themselves through different dimensions.
Indigenous knowledge should be encouraged south african social attitudes survey indigenous knowledge systems iks have an important contribution to make to socioeconomic growth and sustainable development and should be promoted and encouraged, say aziza moos, jare struwig and ben roberts. Indigenous knowledge evolves and develops over time. According to iflanet 2004, indigenous traditional knowledge is vulnerable both because it is exploitable and has been exploited financially by global drug industries. Equally, indigenous knowledge systems that have been historically marginalised need to be foregrounded in order to explore their potential contribution to world knowledge.
The inherent dynamism of indigenous peoples knowledge systems lies at the heart. Indigenous knowledge systems are holistic in nature i. Challenges and prospects provides a sample and report of some of the research at the centre as well as brings together a body of scholarship and appropriate references to seminal sources. Mapara, 2008 refer to as traditional knowledge, indigenous technical knowledge, rural knowledge as well as ethnoscience or peoples science as suggested by altieri 1995. African indigenous knowledge systems professor gloria emeagwali introduction in the first part of the paper, we examine conceptual issues associated with indigenous knowledge systems ik, including the nature of the intersection between science and ik.
Iajiks represents a variety of cross disciplinary interests in ethnomethodology and in qualitative. Two hundred and sixtysix rice farmers were selected through a multistage random sampling technique and data procured through the administration of a validated and structured interview schedule. In the science subjects, teaching and learning are expected to acknowledge the existence of different knowledge systems. In the absence of clear guidelines as to which indigenous knowledge to include and how, the recognition of iks in science classroom has largely been left to the teachers discretion.
The thrust of this paper is to heighten awareness, stimulate new thoughts and generate discussion on the wealth of indigenous knowledge. Indigenous knowledge systems and practices iksps in the teaching of science by xylene grail donatokinomis abstract indigenous knowledge systems and practices iksps are local knowledge developed over centuries of experimentation and are passed orally from generations to generation. An inaugural lecture by anwar osman centre for africa studies 1. Education must not be simply an assimilation of western values, but must also be directed towards the strengthening of indigenous culture. Western science appropriates indigenous knowledge of plants, animals, and medicines and access to patents for biodiversity is controversial as well as.
Indigenous knowledge can contribute to the institutional basis for implementing disaster. But since knowledge, whether indigenous or western, has some utilitarian values, it is essential to address the african socioeconomic problems through a knowledge driven economy. May 15, 2017 kgothatso mafiri and peter tshepiso ndhlovu are two of the 12 graduates from the first cohort of students studying for a degree in indigenous knowledge systems iks at north west university nwu. Indigenous knowledge is the local knowledge that is unique to a given culture or society. The concept of indigenous knowledge for disaster risk reduction integrates well with all the priorities of action laid down under the hfa. The current situation in africa is that theory has been given a nominal role in defining practice in education shouler, 2008. A case of southern africa chapter pdf available july 2007 with 15,562 reads how we measure reads. Gender and generation aspects to indigenous knowledge 11 chapter 3. The call for the interfacing of iks with other knowledge systems is based on tenets. Theoretical frameworks and indigenous knowledge systems. University of toronto, canada this text explores the multidisciplinary context of african indigenous knowledge systems from scholars and scholar activists committed to the interrogation, pro. Intellectual property rights of indigenous knowledge 12 national policies in support of indigenous knowledge 12 role of information and communication technology 12 controversial aspects of indigenous knowledge annexes i. In we present various perspectives on african indigenous knowledge systemsaik from a wide range of scholars. African languages, indigenous knowledge systems iks, and.
Indigenous knowledge systems and environmental management. Submissions african journal of indigenous knowledge systems. We reflect also on methodological pluralism, and knowledge production. Indigenous innovations can be inserted into is formed by the sti policies, andor they can be mobilized into alternative innovation systems. Pdf indigenous knowledge systems and their relevance for. Indigenous knowledge systems refers to the traditions of regional, indigenous or local communities.
Indigenous knowledge systems and education university of. Oct 09, 2019 this article explores the question of using western notions of property and ownership to indigenous knowledge systems and how to protect traditional knowledge through intellectual property law. Indigenous knowledge includes the cultural traditions, values, beliefs, and worldviews of local peoples as distinguished from western scientific knowledge. This capacity for local control only happens, however, when people are allowed to internally work from, expand, and change their own institutions and knowledge systems. Indigenous knowledge systems iks comprise knowledge systems that have developed within various societies independent of, and prior to, the advent of the modern scientific knowledge system. This study recommends the japans model that combined an indigenous knowledge system with the western scientific.
We publish brief extracts from scholarly works on the subject and also make selected videofilms, on the subject, available. According to studies, indigenous knowledge systems manifest themselves through different dimensions. Indigenous knowledge is sometimes called traditional knowledge tk or local knowledge lk. Indigenous knowledge and implications for the sustainable. Indigenous knowledge systems in the use and management of. The characteristics of indigenous knowledge systems. Religion and african indigenous knowledge systems 209 the thesis for this paper is that research in practical theology should focus on inculturation to develop contextual relevant religious practices that will be based on african indigenous knowledge systems that are inherent in the african cultural practices. Indigenous knowledge is the information base for a society, which facilitates communication and decision making. The key role of indigenous and local knowledge in biodiversity conservation and. Indigenous knowledge systems of south africa trust ikssa. Indigenous knowledge systems iks comprise knowledge systems that have developed within various societies independent of, and prior to. The nature of indigenous knowledge the consensus and debate 7 2. This paper exposes some of the indigenous knowledge systems iks that have been practised immemorial by the kalanga people of zaka district in masvingo in order to manage and protect their environment from land degradation.
African indigenous knowledge systems and relevance of higher. African indigenous knowledge and research owusuansah. Indigenous knowledge systems a rich appropriate technology. I have learnt that iks is everywhere and it is not stagnant, says mafiri, who attended the graduation ceremony on 24 april 2017. Local knowledge is viewed and conceptualized differently by people and therefore, it is known with various names such as, traditional ecological knowledge tek, indigenous peoples knowledge ipk. International expert workshop connecting diverse knowledge systems in the. African indigenous knowledge and african indigenous the. African researchers need to persist in developing and using alternative methods of studying our reality and refrain from sticking to the research pathways mapped out by western methodologies, within which many have been trained. The paper further demonstrates the connection between indigenous knowledge systems, transport and rural development with local economic development, livelihood improvement and rural intervention options. The book is an exploration of the practical problems resulting from africais encounter with eurocolonialism, a reflection of the nexus between indigenous knowledge, culture, and development, and indeed a call for the revival and reinstitution of indigenous knowledge, not as a challenge to western science, but a complementary form of knowledge. Indigenous knowledge is the knowledge that is unique to a given culture or society. Indilinga african journal of indigenous knowledge systems. Above all, indigenous knowledge systems should be considered, as should traditional scientific notions, in the context of the bigger picture bigger pictures such as those provided by agenda 2063, the 50year african union vision of a prosperous africa driven by science and technology, or the 8 th panafrican congress held earlier this year.
African cultures and languages were considered to be crude and heathen rwantabagu 2011. African indigenous knowledge systems and relevance of. The major findings demonstrate the need and resolve for utilizing and deploying indigenous transport knowledge systems to meet multiple rural. Apparently, indigenous knowledge systems iks are now being unjustly negated.
African indigenous knowledge systems and relevance of higher education in south africa indigenous knowledge systems as a tool for making higher education relevant to the developmental challenges in south africa and african at large muya, 2007. Firstly, it posits that all knowledge, whether at the formative stages of creation or the stage of ownership, is a tenet of socioeconomic power, and that indigenous knowledge systems invariably address, even somewhat obliquely, a facet of that power play. Prospect of integrating african indigenous knowledge systems into the teaching of sciences in africa. This article explores the question of using western notions of property and ownership to indigenous knowledge systems and how to protect traditional knowledge through intellectual property law. A few years ago, a group of alaska native elders and educators assembled to identify ways to more effectively utilize the traditional knowledge systems and ways. They are viewed in some quarters as somehow inherently primitive appiah opoku, 2006. Based on this discrepancy, it is the role of this paper to explore the dynamics of how theoretical frameworks can be aptly interrelated with indigenous knowledge in an. Overview of the indigenous knowledge for development initiative 15 ii. African indigenous education vary from one place to another, the goals of these systems are often striking. Indigenous knowledge systems and alaska native ways of. This looked mainly at the role of an individual in society. Indigenous knowledge systems and their relevance for sustainable development. Regardless of the obvious difficulties of linking the often duibased ik with stibased is, encounters with mainstream sti institutions are important for indigenous innovations.
Thus, the opportunities surrounding initiatives to bring together indigenous knowledge systems and natural resource conservation are immense however, so are the dangers. The characteristics of indigenous knowledge systems iks. By exploring indigenous cultures and their knowledge systems in greater depth, this article aims to understand how the sustainable. Calls for the development and inclusion of indigenous knowledge come also from academics. Indigenous scholars who seek to move the role of indigenous knowledge and learning from the margins to the center of educational research, and thus take on some of the most intractable and salient issues of our times. The concept and application of an isthe cooperation between all economic, social, political, institutional, and organizational factors, and all other factors. Prospect of integrating african indigenous knowledge systems. Indigenous knowledge systems and alaska native ways of knowing.
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