AOK: indigenous knowledge

Indigenous knowledge systems look at knowledge that is unique to a particular culture. It is important to recognise that indigenous knowledge systems are changing all the time. They change because huamans are not perfect at preserving and transmitting entire systems of knowledge used by a culture. Indigenous knowledge systems as cultures inteact with each other. As information is passed back and forth and new ideas take hold and influence the beliefs of the day. We might consider how the 20th century significantly changed the cultures of the Maori people of New Zealand. Similar changes happened worldwide for indigenous cultures in Canada, Australia, Africa and so on. Indeed, only this year one of the world’s last ‘uncontacted’ tribes emerged from the Brazillian rainforest, probably due to pressure from drug traffikers and illegal loggers. Such contact means that indigenous knowledge systems tend to be a mix of taditional and knowege structures, and well as knowledge inherited from cultures more influenced by global communications.

Two interesting ways of thinking about this AoK could be used for you to start a discussion in your essays or presentations. One way of discussing this AoK would be to talk about the diversity of indigenous knowledge systems in the world. It may not be immediately japparant why we should spend tiem tryign to understand the variety of knowledge systems in the world. After all, we already have a great deal to think about with the AoKs aleardy covered. How and why should we add to these all the unique systems that people all over the world use? However, the fact that there are so many ways of understanding reality cannot be overlooked. Fully embracing this AoK reminds us that our own perspective is just one amongst a truly huge number. Your subject studies in the IB will tell you that the world is full of incredible things to look at. ToK will tell you that the world is full of incredibe ways to look at them.

A second way of examining this AoK is to really try to understand a particular indigenous knowledge system. This will be a challenge, but it could make for some truly amazing ToK work.  How do these people communicate? How do they make decisions? What are their thinking processes? How do they view knowledge? Identifying the similarities and diffferences between your own thinking and those of other people will show a high level of awareness when it comes to ToK issues.