In recent years there has been increasing global awareness of the historic and ongoing injustices that many groups of indigenous peoples have faced, and of how threats to indigenous societies can lead to a loss of traditional knowledge and cultural diversity. For example, in 2007 the UN adopted the “United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples”, which includes the statement that “Indigenous peoples have the right to maintain, control, protect and develop their cultural heritage, traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions, as well as the manifestations of their sciences, technologies and cultures”.
This optional theme provides an opportunity to undertake a more detailed exploration of knowledge that is principally bound to a particular group, culture or society. It focuses on knowledge that is deeply embedded in the culture and traditions of particular communities of knowers, and how what might be seen as “traditional” indigenous knowledge and societies operate today.
In their discussions in this theme, it is important that students are encouraged to reflect critically on the category “indigenous societies” itself. For example, this could consist of discussion of the history and context of the emergence of the word “indigenous” and its contested meanings. It could also include discussion of the power relations that influence hierarchies of how knowledge is classified and validated.
Students should be encouraged to consider the diversity of indigenous societies, as well as the diversity within these societies, and to avoid the assumption that all members of a particular culture or society will share exactly the same outlook and values. Students should also be encouraged to engage with specific examples rather than generalizations; for example, they could explore the impact of the building of the Ok Tedi mine on the Wopkaimin people of Papua New Guinea, or the importance of music and traditional craftsmanship to the Namaqua people of Southern Africa.
This theme provides an opportunity for discussion of areas such as the focus in many indigenous societies on a holistic view of knowledge, and on the particularly long-standing and close relationships between many indigenous societies and the natural world. It provides an opportunity for rich conversations around examples such as the embodiment and transmission of knowledge in traditional artistic and cultural practices, rituals and objects. Another interesting area of discussion within this theme could be the impact and legacy of colonialism on indigenous societies, or how external influences, such as globalization, have brought about changes and challenges in relation to the ownership and custodianship of knowledge in indigenous societies.
There could be discussion of how some kinds of knowledge have often been devalued; for example, through an emphasis on the primacy of science, or the viewing of oral tradition as inferior to the written word. It is crucial that discussions within this optional theme stay focused explicitly on knowledge rather than consisting of general discussions about indigenous societies. The following examples of knowledge questions can help to ensure this focus.