Indigenous Knowledge Definitions, Concepts and Applications

"Understanding how people and societies acquire and use knowledge is essential for
improving people’s lives, especially the lives of the poorest."

The World Bank 1998

Background

Human beings gather knowledge basically for two purposes: survival and development. We try
to understand and come to grips with the environment in order to survive, and we try to find
reasons for our survival that go beyond the intuitive reaction to physical threats. This is in short
the basis for all kind of activities which aim at building up knowledge systems.

Long before the development of modern science, which is quite young, indigenous people have
developed their ways of knowing how to survive and also of ideas about meanings, purposes and
values. They have taken care of the natural landscape for thousands of years. If we lose their
wisdom, we lose the land as well. As long as native peoples are not heard, non-native audiences
will continue to deal in caricatures.

It has become customary to refer to this kind of knowledge as “indigenous knowledge” or

“traditional knowledge”, “local knowledge”, "traditional ecological knowledge” “ethno-ecology”
etc. and it is often seen as a contrast to, or at least as very different from, western ways of
generating, recording and transmitting knowledge. For example, the elders (of Native
Americans) say that if you don't take care of the plants, talk to them and relate to them, they get
lonely and go away. To the sophisticated cynical modern mind that seems like a quaint belief yet
there is no profound truth in it. Learning from indigenous knowledge, by investigating what local
communities know and have, can improve understanding of agriculture, healthcare, food security
education and natural-resource management issues.

So In this paper, clarification what is the indigenous and the indigenous knowledge and what are
the basic differences between this kind of knowledge and modern or western knowledge is
discussed in brief.

Definitions

The term "Indigenous" defined according to UN as "Groups of people whose social, cultural and
economic conditions distinguish them from other sections of the national communities, and
whose status is regulated wholly or partially by their own customs or traditions or by special
laws or regulations. People in independent countries who are regarded as indigenous are
considered as descent people who inhabited geographical region to which belongs, at the time of
colonization or the establishment of present state boundaries".

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Considering the diversity of indigenous people, an official definition of "indigenous" has not
been adopted by any UN-system body. Instead the system has developed a modern
understanding of this term based on the following criteria:

Historical continuity with pre-colonial and/or pre-settler societies.

Strong link to territories and surrounding natural resources.
 Distinct social, economic or political systems.
 Distinct language, culture and beliefs.
 Form non-dominant group of society.
 Resolve to maintain and reproduce their ancestral environments and systems as distinctive
people and communities.
The term "indigenous" has prevailed as a generic term for many years, in some countries, there
may be preference for other terms including: tribes, first people/nations, aboriginals, ethnic
groups,adivasi, janajati, geographical terms like hunter, nomads, peasants, hill people … etc. In
many cases, the term "indigenous" has negative connotations and some nations may choose not
to reveal or define their origin as "indigenous'. Source: Alan, R. Emery and Associates (1997)
Guidelines for Environmental Assessment and Traditional Knowledge. This is taken from a
report from the Centre for Traditional knowledge of the World Council of Indigenous People,
Ottawa,Volume 23.
Defining Indigenous Knowledge:
Indigenous knowledge (IK) is today a popular word throughout the world. It has been interpreted
in different ways at different places but generally it is understood as local or traditional
knowledge that indigenous people have brought down with them from earlier times via the oral
tradition. Indigenous knowledge (IK) is, broadly speaking, the knowledge used by local people
to make a living in a particular environment (Warren 1991). Terms used in the field of
sustainable development to designate this concept include indigenous technical knowledge,
traditional environmental knowledge, rural knowledge, local knowledge and farmer’s or
pastoralist’s knowledge.

Indigenous knowledge can be also defined as “A body of knowledge built up by a group of

people through generations of living in close contact with nature” (Johnson 1992). Generally
speaking, such knowledge evolves in the local environment, so that it is specifically adapted to
the requirements of local people and conditions. It is also creative and experimental, constantly
incorporating outside influences and inside innovations to meet new conditions. It is usually a
mistake to think of indigenous knowledge as ‘old- fashioned,’ ‘backwards,’ ‘static’ or
‘unchanging’
A working definition of indigenous knowledge in the African context:
 Indigenous systems are localized African systems developed over long periods and whose
patterns are based upon local knowledge systems and expressed in local languages.
 Indigenous systems would generally be viewed to be in balance with the local environment or
would have sought such balance.

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 The systems would have been influenced by innovations emerging from within themselves,
from other indigenous systems and from national and international systems. Nonetheless, they
are essentially African in origin even though they may display foreign attributes.
(Source: Matowanyika 1994)
Warren (1987) defined indigenous knowledge as a local knowledge that is unique to a given
culture or society. According to Rajasekaran (1993), indigenous knowledge is the systematic
body of knowledge acquired by local people through the accumulation of experiences, informal
experiments and intimate understanding of the environment in a given culture. To Haverkort and
de Zeeuw (1992), indigenous knowledge is the actual knowledge of a given population that
reflects the experiences based on traditions and includes more recent experiences with modern
technologies. It is also described as a non-conventional body of knowledge that deals with some
aspects of the theory, but more of the beliefs, practices and technologies developed without
direct inputs from the modern, formal, scientific establishment; in this case, towards the
management of farms (Chambers et al. 1989, Gilbert et al. 1980).
Some of the characteristics compared to so-called western scientific knowledge were put up by
Warren 1993. Indigenous knowledge is oral, usually not written. While western science tries to
understand a whole from the pieces, indigenous knowledge sees things as wholes. Western
science believes itself to be objective, while indigenous knowledge is deliberately subjective and
sees human beings as part of the whole. Classification systems can be very different from
western ways.
One example is in the taxonomic classification of living organisms which is more based on
ecological thought than genetic relatedness. We could go on with this list. Most western
scientists reject indigenous knowledge as a methodical and non-scientific. It is true that western
science is sometimes superior in its ways of accumulating data and makes predictions. It is
selective and very dependent on the way data are selected. Still, indigenous knowledge-systems
are said to be “high context” systems which means that they are designed to. Incorporate very
high level of contextual information specific of a given locale. Indigenous knowledge -systems
can consequently be very different from each other and there is no single indigenous system:
“each group has a system specific to their locale” (Warren 1993).
Common Sense as Link between Indigenous Knowledge and Global Science
The close attachment of indigenous knowledge to nature has enabled local cultures to survive for
generations amidst pressures of change. The initiatives of the native peoples to respond to the
present conditions of the environment provide the dynamic characteristics of the local cultures.
The remarkable difference between local cultures and modern science is that the environment
and nature shape the development of the former. In modern science, change occurs through
human intervention and experimentation.
Modern science produces man-made technologies that are largely dependent on human action
while indigenous knowledge depends on the natural conditions of the environment. The common
misconception about indigenous, local or traditional knowledge is that it is unscientific,
backward and opposes change or development in the modern world. Unfortunately, human
manipulation and exploitation destroyed the riches of creation.
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Thus, the riches of indigenous knowledge were also destroyed. Like modern science, indigenous
knowledge observes a system that involves the theory and practice of learning. indigenous
knowledge begins with concept that develops into ideas, philosophies and principles that are
evaluated and verified scientifically. The final form of indigenous knowledge is not simply a
product a scientific investigation but a reality based on the actual experiences of the people. The
link between indigenous knowledge and modern science is common sense. The indigenous
knowledge learning system involves the brain and the senses. Learning begins with a concept
that develops into an idea and philosophy based on affirmative and negative arguments. When
the philosophy of a particular idea has been achieved, the result becomes a principle or theory.
The theory or principle, however, remains a theory until it is verified by the human senses. Like
modern science, the indigenous knowledge system strictly follows reason and logic.
For example, an indigenous idea can never go ahead of a concept because without a concept, an
idea will never exist. Moreover, the indigenous philosophy is developed through the
argumentation of contrasting ideas. A philosophy can never exist as a single thought. The
resolution of contrasting ideas finally becomes a principle or theory that serves as basis of field
investigation or verification of a particular knowledge. Modern science cannot solely exist with
complicated machines. Complicated machines are guided by the human conscience. Modern
science cannot isolate itself from the framework and structure of indigenous knowledge that
includes concept, ideas, philosophies and principles that are similarly employed in scientific
procedures. Moreover, the verification of practical realities through the senses of hearing, seeing,
touching, smelling, tasting, feeling and moving are also inevitable to the global scientific
understanding. Unlike indigenous knowledge, however, that can sustain itself with the
inexpensive conditions of nature, the survival of modern science largely depend on highly
complicated and expensive machines. In the absence of complicated machines, however, modern
science can still survive, like the indigenous knowledge, on the basis of the human conscience.
Thus, common sense evidently serves as the inevitable link between indigenous knowledge and
the global science.
LOCAL AND TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE
And other definitions that should be considered: Local knowledge (LK) is a collection of facts
and relates to the entire system of concepts, beliefs and perceptions that people hold about the
world around them. This includes the way people observe and measure their surroundings, how
they solve problems and validate new information. It includes the processes whereby knowledge
is generated, stored, applied and transmitted to others.
Traditional knowledge (TK) implies that people living in rural areas are isolated from the rest of
the world and that their knowledge systems are static and do not interact with other
knowledge systems.
Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) is indigenous or local knowledge and is the body of
knowledge or natural history built up by a group of people through generations of living in close
contact with nature, which through trial and error they have developed an understanding of the
ecosystem in which they lived. TEK includes a system of classification, a set of empirical

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observations about the local ecology, and a system of self management that governs resource
uses such as hunting, trapping and fishing. .
Ethno-ecology is the study of local or native people’s interaction with the environment in which
they live and work, including their perceptions, use and management, and knowledge. Sub-
disciplines of ethno ecology include ethno biology, ethno botany, ethno zoology, and ethno
pharmacology. Sources: Warburton and Martin (1999)
INDIGENOUS/ TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE CHARACTERISTICS
 It is dynamic, systematic and universal in principle. It is unwritten and known through the oral
traditions.
 It is practical common sense, based on teachings and experience passed on from generation to
generation.
 It is holistic - it cannot be compartmentalized and It is rooted in the spiritual health, culture
and language of the people.
 It sets out the rules governing the use of resources - respect; an obligation to share. It is
dynamic, cumulative and stable.
 It is a way of life - wisdom is using knowledge in good ways. It is using the heart and the head
together. It comes from the spirit in order to survive.
 It gives credibility to people.
 It is based on experience, acquired from observations over time - it is argued that it may be
most useful for local scale decision-making;
 It can show an understanding of the complex relationships between these individual
components and the dynamic ecosystems within which they act;
 It is frequently linked with the sustainable use of local resources.
 It describes the health of the local environment, wildlife, etc., promotes consideration of the
relationships between human and biological systems;
 It often describes these symbiotic relationships and provides the basis for life- sustaining
decisions about how to relate to the environment.
Significance of Indigenous/ Traditional knowledge
Indigenous/Traditional knowledge is simple and practical. It links the survival of every human
being to the wholeness of nature and its elements that support life. It provides the concrete
situations of communities in relation with the environment and provides practical solutions to the
problems of the people. Indigenous/Traditional knowledge defines a worldview of people and
provides direction for their survival socially, economically, politically and spiritually. It explains
the evolution of cultural behaviors that resulted from the efforts of people to adjust to their
environment. In cases where the people have failed to resolve particular problems, the same
became an opportunity for them to gain deeper understanding of the human situations.

The key significance of Indigenous/Traditional knowledge is the development of peoples’

capability to understand the world in a very simple manner as understanding the human self. The
fact that people has survived for generations since the beginning of time, is a simple reason why

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this kind of knowledge cannot be simply undermined. Indigenous/Traditional knowledge deals
with simple but applied education, economics, politics, religion, sciences and technologies of
indigenous societies. This knowledge is basic but provides a rich ground for the development of
the modern society.
INDIGENOUS/ TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE FIELDS
 Agriculture, knowledge related to crop selection, intercropping, planting times.
 Animal's husbandry and ethnic veterinary medicine, knowledge of breeding strategies, livestock
characteristics and requirements, plant uses to treat common illnesses.
Pastoral systems herd movement; range evaluation and monitoring; animal breeding and production;
traditional fodder and forage species and their specific uses; animal diseases and traditional ethno-
veterinary medicine.
 Use and management of nature resources , knowledge of soil fertility management, sustainable
management of wild species.
 Health care, knowledge of plant properties for medicinal purposes.
 Community development, common or shared knowledge provides links between community members
and generations; and
 Poverty elevation, knowledge of survival strategies based on local resources.
 Conservational approaches.
 Water: traditional water-management and water conservation systems; traditional techniques for
irrigation; and use of specific species for water conservation.
 Soil: soil conservation practices; the use of specific species for soil conservation; and soil fertility
enhancement practices.
 Plants: as a source of wild food, building material, household tools, personal uses (dyes, perfumes,
soaps), fuel wood and charcoal, medicinal purposes.
 Wildlife: animal behavior, habitats, uses.
 Worldview: views of the universe and humanity`s place within it, relationship between humans and
nature, myths, beliefs, customs. (Source: adapted from Grenier, 1998; and Matowanyika, 1994)

Finally, the Significance of Indigenous/Traditional knowledge is sustainability based on the holistic

understanding of the relationship between human beings and nature. The concept of sustainability in this
context offers solution to the environmental problems confronting the world today. Based on the
framework and structure of the common sense which is the significant tool of the indigenous peoples
towards survival, environmental conservation and sustainability does not need to be expensive. As a
matter of fact, the recognition and support to local knowledge and cultures can make environmental
conservation more meaningful, efficient and effective.
Why is Indigenous Knowledge Important?
There are two basic reasons why indigenous knowledge is important, first and foremost, the contribution
of indigenous knowledge to local empowerment and development, increase the self-sufficiency and
strength self-determination (Ulluwishewa 1993). Utilizing IK in research and management plans gives it
legitimacy and credibility in the eyes of both local people and outside scientists, increasing cultural pride
and thus motivation to solve local problems with local ingenuity and resources.
Second, indigenous people can provide valuable input about the local environment and how to effectively
manage its natural resources. Outside interest in indigenous knowledge systems has been fueled by the
recent worldwide ecological crisis and the realization that its causes lie partly in the overexploitation of

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natural resources based on inappropriate attitudes and technologies. Scientists now recognize that
indigenous people have managed the environments in which they have lived for generations, often
without significantly damaging local ecologies (Matowanyika 1994).

Many feel that indigenous knowledge can thus provide a powerful basis from which alternative ways of
managing resources can be developed. Indigenous knowledge systems and technologies are found to be
socially desirable, economically affordable, and sustainable and involve minimum risk to rural farmers
and producers, and above all, they are widely believed to conserve resources. There are situations in
which modern science is not appropriate, and use of simpler technologies and procedures are required. So
learning from indigenous knowledge can improve understanding of local conditions and provide a
productive context for activities designed to help the communities. In addition, the use of indigenous
knowledge ‘assures that the end user of specific agricultural development projects are involved in
developing technologies appropriate to their needs’ (Warren 1993).
n general indigenous knowledge represents a way of life that has evolved with the local environment, so it
is specifically adapted to the requirements of local conditions as: Restraint in resource exploitation:
production is for subsistence needs only; what is needed for immediate survival is taken from the
environment. Diversified production systems: there is no overexploitation of a single resource; risk is
often spread out by utilizing a number of subsistence strategies.
Respect for nature: a ‘conservation ethic’ often exists. The land is considered sacred, humans are
dependent on nature for survival, all species are interconnected. Flexible: IK is able to adapt to new
conditions and incorporate outside knowledge. Social responsibility: there are strong family and
community ties, and with them feelings of obligation and responsibility to preserve the land for future
generations. (Source: Murphree 1991). Also, Indigenous knowledge has various essential applications
which make IK more important as: natural resource management.
INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE IS IMPORTANT
 Indigenous knowledge provides problem-solving strategies for local communities, especially the poor.
Indigenous knowledge represents an important component of global knowledge on development issues.
 Indigenous knowledge is an underutilized resource in the development process.
 Learning from indigenous knowledge can improve understanding of local conditions.
 Understanding indigenous knowledge can increase responsiveness to clients.
 Adapting international practices to local conditions can improve the impact and sustainability of our
work.
 Investing in disseminating indigenous knowledge can help to reduce poverty.
 Sharing of Indigenous Knowledge within and across communities can enhance cross-cultural
understanding