Indigenous ecological knowledges and practices

Le pastoralisme en Sibérie occidentale: les défis qu'affrontent les éleveurs de Rennes

by Stephan Dudeck

DUDECK (Stephan).- Le pastoralisme en Sibérie occidentale: les défis qu'affrontent
les éleveurs de Rennes.- Paris : Harmattan, 2010.- In : Pasteurs nomades et transhumants
autochtones / Groupe international de travail pour les peuples autochtones (GITPA) p. 125-
149.- Bibliogr. p. 148-149.-
BLANDIN

Gardens at home, gardens at school: Diet and food crop diversity in two Q'eqchi'communities in Southern Belize

by douglas reeser

A district-wide school garden project has been initiated in the Toledo District of Southern Belize in response to... more A district-wide school garden project has been initiated in the Toledo District of Southern Belize in response to reported high rates of poverty and undernutrition. This paper will discuss research conducted in the summer of 2007 with Q'eqchi' Maya in the Toledo District to determine the effect of school gardens on household diet and gardening, the composition of the household diet, and the makeup of homegardens. Food frequency questionnaires and semi-structured interviews were conducted in two rural villages, one with a school garden program and one without. Various members of NGOs working on school garden projects in the district were also interviewed about the functionality and purpose of the projects. Results discussed herein include the limited effects of the school garden program, the role that both homegardens and school gardens play in household diet and nutrition, the diverse array of fruit trees utilized by the Q’eqchi, and a description and inventory of a typical Q'eqchi' homegarden in Belize.

Indigenous ancestral sayings contribute to modern conservation partnerships: examples using Phormium tenax

by Priscilla (McAllum) Wehi

“Unwritten, unsaid, just known”: the role of Indigenous knowledge(s) in water planning in Australia

by John Mackenzie

Margaret Ayre & John Mackenzie (2012): “Unwritten, unsaid, just known”: the role of Indigenous knowledge(s) in water planning in Australia, Local Environment: The International Journal of Justice and Sustainability, DOI:10.1080/13549839.2012.665864

Water planning processes in Australia have struggled to account for Indigenous interests and rights in water,... more Water planning processes in Australia have struggled to account for Indigenous interests and rights in water, including the use of Indigenous knowledge in water management. In exploring the role of Indigenous knowledge in government-led water planning processes, how might tensions between Western scientific and Indigenous knowledges be lessened? Drawing on two case studies from northern Australia we examine how Indigenous knowledge is represented and managed as a different social knowledge to that of Western science in a management context where legal and planning conventions assume priority. The role of Indigenous (social) knowledges in developing options and strategies for sustainable water management is contingent upon the participation of Indigenous people in water planning. We suggest that water planning processes must contain the possibility of an explicit approach to mutual recognition and consequent translation of the conceptual and pragmatic bases of water management and planning in both Western scientific and Indigenous domains.

Keywords: Indigenous knowledge; water planning; sustainability; translation

AN OPEN LETTER TO CAMERON COUNTY COMMISSION

by MARGO TAMEZ

Published in The Crit Legal Studies Journal, Vol. 2, Issue 1, Winter 2009

Reclaiming The Sacred: A Festival Experience as a Response to Globalisation

by Karin Mackay

published in Journal for the Study of Religion, vol 24, No 2, 2011

Pressures of globalisation such as the focus on the growth of productive economies, consumerism, and long work-hours... more Pressures of globalisation such as the focus on the growth of productive economies, consumerism, and long work-hours have fragmented cultural beliefs and practices worldwide. Devaluation of deeply held soulful, creative, and nature-based practices in the dominant neoliberal capitalist discourse has challenged the way cultural and spiritual wellbeing are lived. Instead of being completely subsumed into the neoliberal global discourse, local responses incorporating global themes are emerging in the form of the “neo-tribal” festival experience. Although festivals have primarily been seen as places of consumption, this misunderstands the drive to participate in a festival experience. This article investigates a women’s arts and ecology festival held in The Blue Mountains, Australia, where members of the local community celebrate the return of spring. Findings suggest that this festival was a site for reclaiming a localized sense of connectedness, where participants reclaimed what was sacred to them. I will argue that consumerism is secondary to the desire for a sacred synergy of connectedness at this festival where critical creative action challenges the neoliberal and patriarchal discourses in the negotiation of global culture.

Letter about "El Chaco" meteorite

by Alejandro López

This is a letter made by academic researchers on cultural astronomy to reject the proyect of move the "El Chaco" meteorite from Argentina to Germany for use in the art show, Documenta 13. The transfer of this cultural treasure, without the support of the indigenous peoples as central players in this project, shows a serious lack of consideration of the inhabitants of the area.

It is very important your adhesion and the adhesion of your institution to stop this. If you wish help us please send me: name, identification number, academic degree, institution.

This is a letter made by academic researchers on cultural astronomy to reject the proyect of move the "El... more This is a letter made by academic researchers on cultural astronomy to reject the proyect of move the "El Chaco" meteorite from Argentina to Germany for use in the art show, Documenta 13. The transfer of this cultural treasure, without the support of the indigenous peoples as central players in this project, shows a serious lack of consideration of the inhabitants of the area.

Lost in translation: Conflicting views of deforestation, land use and identity in western Madagascar

by Ivan Scales

This paper focuses on the interplay between environmental narratives, identity politics and the management of forest... more This paper focuses on the interplay between environmental narratives, identity politics and the management of forest resources in Madagascar. While efforts to conserve the island's biological diversity have centred primarily on the designation of protected areas, policies have increasingly focused on local communities. The experiences of the last 20 years have shown that community-based approaches to conservation offer considerable challenges due to the complex politics of natural resource use, which involve multiple and diverse stakeholders, often with very different and sometimes conflicting values. In this paper, I focus on the environmental perceptions and values of two groups in the Central Menabe region of western Madagascar – conservation organisations and rural households – revealing a contrasting set of views regarding the region's forest. I show that the conservation discourse has changed over time, increasingly emphasising the biological diversity of the region's tropical dry-deciduous forest and prioritising non-consumptive uses of natural resources. Although policy has changed in response to changing values, I show that it has been underpinned by the notion that hatsake (‘slash-and-burn’ agriculture) is an irrational practice driven by necessity rather than choice. Policy has thus sought to provide livelihood alternatives, firstly through forestry, then through changes in cultivation and increasingly through tourism. This misunderstands the local view of the forest, which sees hatsake as a way to make the land productive, as long as it is carried out responsibly according to local fady (taboos). As well as facing problems of translating conservation goals into local values and misunderstanding the motives for forest clearance, policy has been based on a narrative that attaches particular land use practices to ethnic identities. I argue that this ignores the history and fluid reality of both identity and land use.

Indigenous Knowledge Governance System: A holistic model for indigenous knowledge management.

by Tariq Zaman

Tariq, Z., Yeo, A. W, Narayanan, K., (2011). Indigenous Knowledge Governance System: A holistic model for indigenous knowledge management. ELOKA Workshop: Data Management and Local Knowledge: Building a Network to Support Community-Based Research and Monitoring., University of Colorado Boulder, Colorado, U.S.A.

There are more than 30 million people living in South East Asia who can be classified as indigenous minorities. For... more There are more than 30 million people living in South East Asia who can be classified as indigenous minorities. For indigenous communities their knowledge is the main resource not merely for economic gains but also for their survival. The scientific community and organisations focuses on Indigenous Knowledge (IK) management as management of corpus of facts rather than management of and by a living system. IK as a living system has a much broader understanding of indigenous people and system as the community places themselves in relation to the environment in which they live. It is well acknowledged that use of ICTs for indigenous cultural preservation and revitalization can lead to several challenges. The Open Data movement is an example. This study will adapted the use of current knowledge management tools in the realization of a holistic approach to model Indigenous Knowledge Governance System (IKGS). The research methodology is comprises of two components first an intensive process of knowledge management system audit where the current community knowledge management practices and processes would discover while in second phase a generic framework of IKGS would propose. In this paper we present KM assessment tool for indigenous communities which has been tested in remote community in Bario, Sarawak. On the bases of our assessment of IKM of Bario, community capacity and resources, we have developed a IKGS framework and strategy map for Bario community. The framework developed has been instrumental in delivering strategies to best address the particular needs for effectively empowering indigenous communities. The newly formulated Malaysia National ICT R & D framework emphasizes on the provision of info-structures via tools, technologies and methodologies to support knowledge management (ranging from acquisition, through organization to application) as well as develop creative content with core competency in providing various media content, access, services and products. Our proposed research will support the second layer of the National ICT R & D framework that is generic processors for multilingual, multimedia, multimodal, knowledge management technology. This paper will highlight some of the lessons learnt during our replication and deployment process of the project using the eBario Project as an initial guide.

Balanced Scorecard for performance measurement and strategic planning of Indigenous Knowledge Management.

by Tariq Zaman

Tariq Zaman, Narayanan Kulathuramaiyer, Alvin W. Yeo

Indigenous knowledge is held locally in the memories and practices of the communities. The communities have their own... more Indigenous knowledge is held locally in the memories and practices of the communities. The communities have their own processes of storage, leverage, practice, share, and developing indigenous knowledge. The form of Knowledge Management (KM) employed however distinctly differs from the current practices in organizations. The paper focuses on this less studied but potentially invaluable, Indigenous Knowledge Management (IKM) practices within these indigenous communities.
The Balanced Scorecard (BSC) is a strategic planning and performance measurement system that has already a documented history of successful implementation in several industries and enterprises knowledge management initiatives. In this paper we explore a process oriented knowledge management model for indigenous communities. We then propose a 3rd generation BSC approach in the design of a holistic approach for knowledge management systems of these communities. This work serves as an extension to the past experiences of the authors in modelling K-readiness for the state of Sarawak, and in mapping and implementing of rural ICT projects.

COP17_IKS_Communique_AYSICCIKS

by Anke Weisheit

Hassan O. Kaya, Anke Weisheit, Yonah Seleti
North West University, South Africa, Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST), Uganda, National IKS Office (Department of Science and Technology), South Africa

FIGHTING BIOPIRACY AT THE SOURCE: SENSITIZING INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES TO WESTERNIZED INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS AND THE THREAT OF BIOPIRACY

by Johanna Staral

This is a draft copy of a paper that will be presented at IATED 2012 Valencia in March. The final paper will be published in the proceedings of the IATED 2012 conference. Please no citation or quotation without author permission. However, feedback and comments are very welcome.

International intellectual property law has failed to adequately protect the biological resources and traditional... more International intellectual property law has failed to adequately protect the biological resources and traditional knowledge of indigenous people from biopiracy. International treaty bodies continue to seek solutions to the biopiracy problem, but greater participation from indigenous communities in these negotiations is essential. Before effective participation can take place, an effort to expose these communities to westernized intellectual property law in a culturally relevant way is needed. Non-profit organizations working on the ground in developing countries find themselves in a unique position to foster an understanding of intellectual property ownership among the community and business leaders in indigenous populations. Sensitizing members of indigenous communities will allow for greater participation in both domestic and international policy making, more control over the biological resources and traditional knowledge, and a better understanding of the benefits and possible risks under the current international framework. We propose the development of a customizable digital learning module that can be disseminated to these target populations through the existing framework of non-profit organizations in developing countries. This educational system will introduce the concept of IPRs using interactive technology and multilateral-sharing on how different regional cultures control the dissemination of TK; first comparing them to each other and then to the international system of IPRs. Once an indigenous community clearly understands the position of the developed world and the differences in their conception of traditional knowledge, culture and intellectual property, they will be able to identify the needs and concerns of their people in regards to the international policies that so deeply affect them.

Sustainability out of the past: how archaeology can save the planet

by Erika Guttmann-Bond

Os cultivares de mandioca na área do Uaupés (Tukano)

by Janet Chernela

Collection and analysis of traditional ecological knowledge about a population of Arctic tundra caribou

by Mike Ferguson

Ferguson and Messier. 1997. Collection and analysis of traditional ecological knowledge about a population of Arctic tundra caribou. Arctic 50: 17-28.

Keywords: Inuit knowledge, Inuit qaujimajatuqangit, methodology, wildlife population fluctuations and ecology, caribou, Rangifer tarandus, Baffin Island, Nunavut, savoir inuit, méthodologie, fluctuations dans la population et écologie de la faune sauvage, île de Baffin

Aboriginal peoples want their ecological knowledge used in the management of wildlife populations. To accomplish this,... more Aboriginal peoples want their ecological knowledge used in the management of wildlife populations. To accomplish this, management agencies will need regional summaries of aboriginal knowledge about long-term changes in the distribution and abundance of wildlife populations and ecological factors that influence those changes. Between 1983 and 1994, we developed a method for collecting Inuit knowledge about historical changes in a caribou (Rangifer tarandus) population on southern Baffin Island from c. 1900 to 1994. Advice from Inuit allowed us to collect and interpret their oral knowledge in culturally appropriate ways. Local Hunters and Trappers Associations (HTAs) and other Inuit identified potential informants to maximize the spatial and temporal scope of the study. In the final interview protocol, each informant (i) established his biographical map and time line, (ii) described changes in caribou distribution and density during his life, and (iii) discussed ecological factors that may have caused changes in caribou populations. Personal and parental observations of caribou distribution and abundance were reliable and precise. Inuit who had hunted caribou during periods of scarcity provided more extensive information than those hunters who had hunted mainly ringed seals (Phoca hispida); nevertheless, seal hunters provided information about coastal areas where caribou densities were insufficient for the needs of caribou hunters. The wording of our questions influenced the reliability of informants’ answers; leading questions were especially problematic. We used only information that we considered reliable after analyzing the wording of both questions and answers from translated transcripts. This analysis may have excluded some reliable information because informants tended to understate certainty in their recollections. We tried to retain the accuracy and precision inherent in Inuit oral traditions; comparisons of information from several informants and comparisons with published and archival historical reports indicate that we retained these qualities of Inuit knowledge.

Les peuples autochtones veulent voir leurs connaissances sur l’environnement utilisées dans la gestion de la faune sauvage. Pour ce faire, il va falloir que les organismes chargés de la gestion possèdent des résumés à l’échelle régionale du savoir autochtone sur les changements à long terme dans la distribution et l’abondance des populations fauniques et des facteurs écologiques influençant ces changements. Entre 1983 et 1994, on a mis au point une méthode de collecte du savoir inuit sur les changements survenus d’environ 1900 à 1994, changements qui ont affecté une population de caribous (Rangifer tarandus) dans la partie méridionale de l’île de Baffin. Des conseils donnés par les Inuit nous ont permis de recueillir et d’interpréter leur savoir oral selon des modalités pertinentes au plan culturel. Les Associations des chasseurs et des trappeurs (ACT) locales et d’autres Inuit ont indiqué des répondants potentiels, de façon à maximiser l’envergure spatiale et temporelle de l’étude. Lors du dernier protocole d’interview, chaque répondant a 1) établi sa carte biographique et sa ligne de temps, 2) décrit les changements dans la distribution et la densité du caribou au cours de sa vie, 3) discuté des facteurs écologiques qui auraient pu causer des changements dans les populations de caribous. Les observations sur la distribution et l’abondance du caribou émises par les répondants eux-mêmes ou leurs parents étaient à la fois fiables et précises. Les Inuit qui avaient chassé le caribou en des temps de pénurie offraient plus d’information que les chasseurs qui avaient surtout chassé le phoque annelé (Phoca hispida); les chasseurs de phoque n’en donnaient pas moins des renseignements sur des régions côtières où la densité du caribou ne pouvait satisfaire les besoins des chasseurs de cet animal. La formulation de nos questions a influencé la fiabilité des réponses des personnes interrogées; les questions suggestives en particulier posaient des problèmes. Après avoir analysé la formulation des questions ainsi que des réponses, à partir d’une traduction des transcriptions, on a seulement retenu l’information jugée fiable. Cette analyse peut avoir exclu des renseignements fiables car les répondants avaient tendance à sous-estimer l’exactitude de leurs souvenirs. On a essayé de préserver l’exactitude et la précision inhérentes à la tradition orale inuit; des comparaisons d’informations venant de plusieurs répondants ainsi que des comparaisons avec des rapports publiés ou archivés indiquent que ces qualités du savoir inuit ont ont été préservées dans l’étude.

Elephant shrews and arrow poison

by Martin Walsh

Walsh, Martin T. 1992. Elephant Shrews and Arrow Poison. East Africa Natural History Society Bulletin, 22 (2): 18 21.

A paper discussing the use of (elephant) shrews and other magical ingredients in the preparation of Giryama... more A paper discussing the use of (elephant) shrews and other magical ingredients in the preparation of Giryama (Acokanthera) arrow poison.
For an update on the identification of Giryama p'inji see my blog post on 'Mice-hunting, rat-trapping, rodent-roasting' (18 October 2010) at http://notesandrecords.blogspot.com/2010/10/mice-hunting-rat-trapping-rodent.html

Swahili ethnobotany and carved doors

by Martin Walsh

Walsh, Martin T. 1992. Swahili Ethnobotany and Carved Doors. Azania, 27: 135-136.

A note discussing the identification of tree species used to make doors on the East African coast and islands.
... more A note discussing the identification of tree species used to make doors on the East African coast and islands.

Reprinted under the heading ‘Notes to Appendix’ in a pamphlet reprint of Judy Aldrick’s ‘The Nineteenth-Century Carved Wooden Doors of the East African Coast’ [my paper was a comment on this article, originally published in Azania in 1990], pp.19-20.  The reprint, issued by the Kenya Museum Society, is undated.

Unique animals, conflicting practices: pangolins and people in the Great Ruaha valley, Tanzania

by Martin Walsh

Walsh, Martin T. 2003. Unique Animals, Conflicting Practices: Pangolins and People in the Great Ruaha Valley, Tanzania. Poster presented to the International Symposium on Animal symbolism – the “keystone” animal in oral tradition and interactions between humans and nature / Colloque International sur Le Symbolisme des animaux: l’animal “clef de voûte” dans la tradition orale et les interactions homme-nature, Villejuif, Paris, 12-14 November 2003.

A poster describing research on the use and abuse of ground pangolins in south-central Tanzania.
A poster describing research on the use and abuse of ground pangolins in south-central Tanzania.

Agricultural expansion by smallholders as a threat to the ecological integrity of La Amistad Biosphere Reserve: Perceived vs. real impacts of cacao and cattle

by Elizabeth N. Shapiro

Published in the Journal of Sustainable Forestry; Co-authored with April Connelley

Agricultural expansion by smallholder producers has been identified by management agencies as one of the main threats... more Agricultural expansion by smallholder producers has been identified by management agencies as one of the main threats to the ecological integrity of La Amistad Biosphere Reserve, in Panama and Costa Rica. Promotion of cacao agroforestry has been proposed as a way to reduce the need for farmers to clear new land within the reserve. In order to realize this goal, the larger cultural, economic, and political forces that motivate agricultural expansion need to be examined, looking beyond the smallholder practices that are the immediately apparent causes of ecological degradation. The four main assumptions behind the proposal to promote smallholder cacao production in the buffer zone are explored: (1) cacao agroforestry is an ecologically benign agricultural system; (2) if cacao production were more financially viable, ecologically degrading activities, such as cattle grazing, would decrease; (3) migrants from other areas are primarily responsible for clearing land on the eastern side of the park; and (4) direct intervention at the smallholder level is the most effective means of preventing agricultural expansion. Our analysis demonstrates that while cacao agroforestry is an ecologically appropriate production system for the buffer zone of the park, price and production stabilization is important for assuring adoption by smallholders. We also suggest that both indigenous and migrant groups are responsible clearing forest for agriculture and that a more useful distinction for managers to make is between clearing enacted as part of sustainable vs. unsustainable management regimes. Finally, we recommend that the impact to the biosphere reserve caused by large-scale cattle and banana production not be overlooked.

Statement of The Elders, Oraibi, Arizona Hopi Nation

by Laura Mirian

ELDERS, ORAIBI, ARIZONA HOPI NATION

"You have been telling people that this is the eleventh hour.
Now you must go back and tell people that this... more "You have been telling people that this is the eleventh hour.
Now you must go back and tell people that this is the hour!
And there are things to be considered:
Where are you living?
What are you doing?
What are your relationships?
Are you in right relation?
Where is your water?
Know your Garden.
It is time to speak your truth.
Create your community.
Be good to yourself.
And not look outside of yourself for a leader.
This could be a good time!
There is a river flowing very fast.
It is so great and fast that there are those who will be afraid.
They will hold on to the shore.
They will feel that they are being torn apart, and they will suffer greatly.
Know that the river has its destination.
The elders say that we must let go of the shore,
push off into the middle of the river,
keep our eyes open,
and our heads above the water.
See who is in there with you and celebrate.
At this time we are to take nothing personally,
least of all, ourselves.
For the moment that we do,
our spiritual growth comes to a halt.
The time of the lone wolf is over.
Gather yourselves!
Banish the word struggle from your attitude and your vocabulary.
All that we do now must be done in a sacred manner and in celebration.
We are the ones that we have been waiting for."