LOCAL AND INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE

This Blog focuses on socially constructed knowledge, and its applications to development. One of my main interests is in scientific and technological knowledge, that is knowledge constructed by the professional science and technology community. As I have suggested, there are many other kinds of knowledge.

One classification that proves useful in some contexts is whether the knowledge is constructed by an indigenous community, by a local community (that may or may not be self-defined as indigenous) or by a larger community. Some people use the term “local knowledge” as a euphemism for “indigenous knowledge”; others use the term to recognize that local communities may socially construct knowledge even when they do not see themselves as indigenous communities – for example, local Hispanic communities do in countries which have both Hispanic and Native American communities. I find the term “local knowledge” useful also in thinking about knowledge systems and processes that occur in limited geographic areas.

I would point out that some “indigenous” knowledge may be “professional” knowledge, i.e. knowledge limited to an occupational subgroup in a larger indigenous culture, transmitted via specialized training for that subgroup, etc. Thus the Kallawaya in Bolivia and Argentina maintain knowledge of medicinal plants -- plants which they sell over much of South America. This knowledge has roots in pre-Columbian times, and is held within a group of people who grow and gather the plants, and who sell them as remedies. Thus, one might consider the Kallawaya knowledge indigenous botanical and medical knowledge.

A few useful points of reference on indigenous knowledge and its use in a development context follow:

Indigenous Knowledge
This is a topic page of the Development Gateway on indigenous knowledge. There are also topic pages on Indigenous Peoples and Indigenous Rights.

NUFFIC Indigenous Knowledge Page
This site created by a development agency of the Government of the Netherlands has addresses for a large number of centers working in the area of indigenous knowledge, including links and/or email addresses for most.

Handbook of CIDA Project Planning and Indigenous Traditional Knowledge
From “the Purpose of the Handbook”: “This handbook is a preliminary summary of practical information to guide CIDA project planning and implementation when indigenous peoples are affected directly or indirectly by a project supported by CIDA….. The handbook does not attempt to treat the subject exhaustively. A comprehensive work on the subject is needed, and many people in the world are vigorously addressing the problems in many different ways. In fact, CIDA recognizes that the handbook is really a single step in a program of change that will require many steps. Nonetheless, it is an important step forward and emphasizes the commitment to indigenous peoples and the many policies and conventions to which CIDA adheres.” Appears to be dated 2000.

Terralingua
This is an NGO, with support from the Ford Foundation, concerned about the future of the world's biological, cultural, and linguistic diversity. Within this broad focus it has two main aims: (1) supporting the perpetuation and continued development of the world's linguistic diversity; and (2) exploring the connections between linguistic, cultural and biological diversity, through a program of research, information, applied work, and advocacy.

International Workshop on SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SUSTAINABILITY: Harnessing Institutional Synergies
This workshop was organized by the Third World Academy of Sciences and held in Trieste, Italy, 6-9 February 2002. The website includes the report of the meetings and also an extensive set of papers that were recommended by the participants and may be downloaded without charge. One of the interesting themes of the meeting was the integration of indigenous knowledge and scientific and techological knowledge from professional sources.