TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE -
DON'T LEAVE THE FUTURE WITHOUT IT
Introduction
Traditional Knowledge is an essential grasp, an understanding and
reverence that indigenous people have with ecosystems. This is an astute
and strategic orientation based on observations and interactions with the
natural world. This knowledge is empirical - closely based on
observations, interactions, and systematic feedback while incorporating
spiritual systems. It is often expressed in spiritual and cultural terms
and rules, providing not only description and reverence for natural
resources but an ethical system for human behavior for sustaining
ecosystems, including humans, for generations that will follow. It is
community-based and culturally-centered wisdom held by individuals who
represent the understanding of long term ecosystem fluctuations and
functions across the cultural landscape. It stresses that humans depend on
ecosystems and human actions must reflect this dependency.
Traditional Knowledge
Western Science Traditional Knowledge is oriented much differently than
Western Science. Traditional Knowledge is generally transmitted orally and
experientially, and not written. It is learned through hands on experience
and not taught in abstracted context. It is holistic, non-linear and not
reductionist in approach. It is qualitative and in the intuitive thinking
mode and not quantitative or in the analytical thinking mode. Instead of
relying on explicit hypotheses, theories and laws, it relies on spiritual,
cumulative, and collective knowledge that is annually interpreted.
Traditional Knowledge tries to understand systems as whole and not isolate
the interacting parts. Observed ecosystems changes and human actions are
evaluated in the perspective of the whole ecosystem and it's importance.
(Clark 1997, Jorgensen 1995, Merculieff 1997: personal communication).
Like Western Science, Traditional Knowledge provides an additional body of
knowledge and another way to instill conservation ethics into others. It
teaches conservation and ecosystem management. As Traditional Knowledge
keepers continue to point out, you pay particular attention to things,
when those things are what keep you alive.