IK Monitor 2(2) Conferences

COMMUNICATIONS - CONFERENCES

coming:

Indaba on gathering and using IK
Cape Town (South Africa), 24 November, 1994.
SARCIK and the Institute for Indigenous Theory and Practice are organizing an 'Indaba' (conference) on the subject of gathering and using indigenous knowledge. The Indaba will be held at the SA Museum, and will have three themes:

traditional medicines and their uses;
indigenous values in human services; and
indigenous knowledge and environmental management.

The Indaba will involve not only academics and representatives of NGOs, but also local practitioners in the various fields.
Contact: Hans Normann, SARCIK, 110 Long Street, 8001 Cape Town, South Africa. Tel: +27-21-242012. Fax: +27-21-232168. E-mail: hansn@iaccess.za

Aboriginal peoples' conference
Thunder Bay, Ontario (Canada), 14-16 October, 1994.
The department of indigenous learning at Lakehead University is organizing an aboriginal peoples' conference on the theme 'Indigenous learning'. Sessions will be held on education, literature, wilderness and tourism, philosopy, art and economics, environment, ethnic fraud and transcultural literature, politics, health care, 'wellness', poetry, and residential schools. Selected papers and the abstracts of all presentations will be published as conference proceedings.
For a detailed conference programme, please contact:
Dr Douglas A. West, Lakehead University, Department of Indigenous Learning, 955 Oliver Road, Thunder Bay, Ontario P7B 5E1, Canada. Tel: +1-807-343 8085. Fax: +1-807-346-7757.

past:

Environmental stewardship: History, theory and practice
Winnipeg (Canada), 11-12 March, 1994.
'Stewardship' is a model of human responsibility with respect to the environment that has been adopted by a wide variety of academics, professional and public figures, and environmental and religious organizations. The workshop brought theorists of stewardship (ethicists, theologians and philosophers) together with practitioners (planners, government officials and environmentalists) for an exchange of ideas about the meaning and implications of environmental stewardship. Speakers and participants discussed the concept of stewardship in the contexts of ecosystems, ecofeminism, indigenous and aboriginal natural resource management, and bioregionalism. Among the many interesting presentations were papers by Dr D.M. Warren on indigenous knowledge systems and cross-cultural aspects of environmental stewardship, Evelyn Pinkerton on collaborative watershed management by the Shoswap Nation and government agencies of British Columbia, and Sally Lerner on local-level environmental stewardship in Canada. Funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, the workshop was sponsored by the Institute of Urban Studies of the University of Winnipeg in cooperation with the Canadian Coalition for Ecology, Ethics and Religion. The proceedings will be published. (Dr D.M. Warren)
For more information please contact:
Mary Ann Beavis, Institute of Urban Studies, University of Winnipeg, 515 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B OE9, Canada. Fax: +1-204-786 1824.

International workshop on indigenous soil and water conservation (ISWC) in Africa
Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), 6-9 June, 1994.
This international workshop was organized under the auspices of the joint CDCS/IIED research programme entitled 'Indigenous soil and water conservation in Africa'. Participating were the English-speaking researchers from 13 different countries across the continent who have been preparing case studies of indigenous systems for conserving soil and water. The objectives of the workshop were to offer the researchers an opportunity to share their experiences with each other, to stimulate networking, to discuss research methodologies, and to formulate ideas for a follow-up phase of the research programme.
The case studies were analysed and compared in terms of four themes:

dynamics of technical change;
actors involved and the institutional setting;
rationale for and perception of ISWC systems; and
interaction between development and indigenous systems: conflict or complementarity.

This preliminary comparison produced several interesting results. The various national inventories revealed hitherto unknown ISWC systems, describing measures that have distinct technical features quite different from modern SWC systems. Key physical characteristics of ISWC systems are their flexibility, resilience, multi-functionality and site-specificity. Traditional stone bunds in Ethiopia are a most fascinating example: they are constructed step-by-step, over a number of years; they can be removed after 5-10 years; spacing and dimensions can be changed continuously; and they are often intentionally discontinuous along the contour. This example contrasts sharply with conventional SWC engineering, which is characterized by rigidity of design, and high initial labour/capital investments.
Many ISWC systems are very dynamic and are being used on a growing scale. Even those focussed on fertility management, which had become less common in recent decades as chemical fertilizers became available, are now showing signs of expansion now that state subsidies for fertilizer have been abolished. In many cases farmers have responded actively to changing market conditions and changing prices for major crops, adapting their ISWC systems appropriately. Such modifications have often taken place without the active involvement of external agencies.
Many different actors and groups of actors are involved in ISWC; age, gender, and rank based on wealth all play important roles in the construction and maintenance of ISWC systems. Traditional roles usually provide enough incentives for investment in ISWC. However, many local ISWC institutions have broken down under external pressure, causing degradation on a large scale. While traditional systems are more geared towards social equality, external interventions have often led to socio-economic differentiation, complicating resource management.
It is acknowledged that farmers are rational resource users, but this rationality is not always well understood by outsiders who often hold different perceptions. This is the source of many conflicts. Farmers may be forced to exploit their resources under conditions often imposed on them from outside.
These preliminary results of the workshop will be further elaborated when the final reports of the case studies become available, which is expected within the next few months. All participants confirmed the relevance of their research for policy-makers. They spoke of the growing interest that authorities have expressed in taking ISWC systems as starting points for the reformulation of conservation policies. Innovative, successful interventions need to be built upon ISWC systems, as well as local knowledge and perceptions.
Proceedings of the workshop will be available to anyone who is interested. For more information, please contact:
Ben Haagsma, CDCS, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1115, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Tel: +31-20-4449070. Fax: +31-20-4449095

Regional seminar on indigenous knowledge and agriculture
Baybay, Leyte (The Philippines), 13-15 April, 1994.
A regional seminar entitled 'Indigenous knowledge in agriculture' was conducted at the Visayas State College of Agriculture, Baybay, Leyte, as part of the Indigenous Knowledge in Agriculture Program. This programme falls under the umbrella of the Philippine Resource Center for Sustainable Development and Indigenous Knowledge (Phircsdik). The seminar was attended by 25 people representing various government and non-government organizations in the Visayas as well as state and private colleges and universities in the region. All shared an interest in exploring the potential and assessing the prospects of indigenous knowledge in agriculture.
The three-day seminar was co-sponsored by the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI-NTC), the Center for Social Research in Small Farmer Development (CSR-SFD), and the University of San Carlos (USC) in Cebu City.
It was the first time that a seminar on this topic was held in the region. The objectives were:

to develop general awareness and stir interest with regard to sustainable development and indigenous knowledge in agriculture;
to analyse and reach shared understanding regarding the basic issues involved in exploring the research and development aspects of IK;
to share experiences and present new information regarding methodologies for gathering, documenting and disseminating IK; and
to initiate the mapping of indigenous agricultural resources in the region, and to improve networking among IK practitioners.

The topics discussed included methodology, natural resource management, practical applications of IK in agricultural development, problems encountered in the conduct of IK-related research and development, and global views of IK.
Fieldwork was part of the seminar. Farmers in an upland community were interviewed using anthropological methods. The findings were analysed and presented to the group.
Papers presented during the seminar and written reports have been compiled into proceedings. (Dr R.C. Serrano)
For more information please contact Phircsdik, PCARRD, Paseo de Valmayor, P.O. Box 425, Los Banos, Laguna, The Philippines. Tel: +63-94-50015 to 50020. Fax: +63-94-50016. Telex: 40860 PARRA PM.

Third national seminar for the mass media
Nairobi (Kenya), 24-25 November, 1993.
The theme of the seminar was 'African indigenous values and resource utilization for a healthy family: a challenge to the mass media'. The main purpose was to elicit mass media support for the objectives of the Breastfeeding Information Group (BIG).
BIG produces information, and the mass media--as one of the main means of shaping opinion in any society--are needed to help disseminate that information to its intended consumers.
The seminar coordinator, Mrs E. Migwi, said in her introductory speech that just as the media have been used to destroy indigenous cultures, the same media must be used to restore some of those cultures' worthwhile values. The mass media is needed not only for cultural restoration, she pointed out, but also for bringing information and new ideas to the people. She explained that BIG was established on the firm belief that cultures--even African cultures that have suffered damage under colonialism and neo-colonialism--can sustain a people and give them physical strength under strenuous conditions. Commitment to one's culture can definitely serve as a tool for strengthening African feelings of self-worth and self-confidence, said Mrs Migwi.
Mr Muchungu Kiiru of Kenyatta University spoke on the topic 'Cultural modernization and the child: child welfare threatened'. He stressed the importance of African cultures and how they have played an important role in protecting the welfare not only of children, but of society at large.
Dr D.M. Hall, of Kenyatta University's Appropriate Technology Centre, presented a paper entitled 'Science and technology innovations introduced into our indigenous cultures that have promoted a healthy family'. He stressed that technological innovation is required that meets the needs of the people. He also pointed out that technology should be adapted to make use of local (or African) resources and to adhere to local (African and thus acceptable) values. In a closing speech, Mr Shadrack Musandu confirmed the importance of revisiting and reviving indigenous cultures. KENRIK participated in the session 'Cultural values, indigenous foods for healthy mother and child'.
The seminar was well attended by representatives of the mass media, including media at district level. The Ministry of Health and other institutions directly or indirectly involved in promoting African indigenous cultures were also represented. (P. Maundu and G. Wambui)
Contact: Breastfeeding Information Group (BIG), P.O. Box 59436, Nairobi, Kenya.

Local knowledge
Embu (Kenya), 27-30 September, 1993.
A workshop entitled 'Existing local knowledge' was conducted by the Intermediate Technology Development Group (ITDG). Its purpose was to expose participants to the methods used by various organizations to collect and disseminate indigenous knowledge. It was also meant to test methodologies through workshops, role-playing and fieldwork exercises, and to find out how well methods work in particular field situations.
Papers were presented on methods of collecting IK (an overview), mapping as a tool for collecting IK in communities, 'transect walks' (PRA), the use of codes to collect IK, ranking, and community exchange visits. (P. Maundu)
Contact: John Young, Stella Maranga, or Jacob Wanyama at ITDG, P.O. Box 39493, Nairobi, Kenya. Tel: +254-2-442108. Fax: +254-2-445166.

MacArthur/ICIMOD meeting
Kathmandu (Nepal), 13-15 April, 1994.
Fifty representatives from Bhutan, China, India, Indonesia, Nepal, The Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, the USA, and Unesco met in Kathmandu (Nepal) last April to discuss issues related to popular participation in the conservation and management of natural resources. The participants were from government agencies, universities, research institutes, and NGOs. The meeting was organized and sponsored by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) and the MacArthur Foundation. It consisted of three parts:

Some 20 recipients of grants from the MacArthur Foundation's programme for the Eastern Himalayas shared their experiences and reviewed issues and options for meeting conservation and development needs in the region. The Eastern Himalayas has been identified as one of the world's hotspots--a site in most urgent need of action to conserve the diversity of its rich but rapidly diminishing plant and animal life.
An ICIMOD seminar entitled 'Indigenous knowledge systems and biodiversity management' was held. Staff of the organizations working together on an ICIMOD project entitled 'Promotion of agroforestry and forest management through local organizations in the Eastern Himalayas' presented results of their two years of field work in Sankhuwasabha District in Nepal, and in Yunnan Province in China. Through this 'action research' project, members of SAGUN, a Nepali NGO, and the Kunming Institute of Botany have collected IK related to resource management among the inhabitants of communities adjacent to national parks and protected areas. This helps the park managers to understand the needs and resources of local people, and how they are affected by park policies. The aim is the establishment of mutually beneficial park policies and relationships. In addition to studying cultural beliefs and practices, the project provides training and small-scale technical inputs that might improve upon but not replace traditional systems. Local organizations are strengthened so that project initiatives can be sustained beyond the three-year project period.
A session was held to plan the promotion of conservation programmes that transcend national borders and other boundaries.

(Dr E. Mathias)
For further information, please contact:
Ms Jeanette Gurung, ICIMOD, P.O. Box 3226, Kathmandu, Nepal. Fax: +977-1-524 509.

International Seminar: 'Indigenous knowledge, adaption and development: interdisciplinary perspectives on subsistence and sustainability in developing countries'
Bandung (Indonesia), 11-15 July, 1994.
This international seminar, which was organized by the Indonesian Resource Centre for Indigenous Knowledge (INRIK), marked the official opening of INRIK, the first national IK centre in Indonesia. It is located at Universitas Padjadjaran (UNPAD), Bandung (Indonesia). For more information you are kindly invited to contact Professor K. Adimihardja, INRIK, Department of Anthropology, University Padjadjaran, Jl. Banda 40, Bandung 40115, Indonesia.
The seminar has overwhelmingly indicated that in Indonesia, as in other developing countries in Asia, indigenous knowledge systems, as a hitherto untapped national resource, have great potential for sustainable development in many sectors, including agro-ecology, natural resource management, and human and medical ecology. Many papers and discussions focussed on the initial contribution which recent research has made to the newly-developing body of theory on indigenous knowledge systems. Only a few case studies were presented which show how such systems have actually been incorporated into sustainable development processes. It has become clear, however, that several donor agencies, extension services and other NGOs--frustrated by the often disappointing results of many rural development projects--have come to acknowledge the important role of indigenous knowledge and technology in sustainable development. This paves the way for greater interest in current efforts in this field.
For the people who organized and took part in the seminar, it was most encouraging to enjoy not only the generous support of Universitas Padjadjaran, but also genuine backing from the side of the national and local authorities. This contributed significantly to the seminar's success. All papers presented in Bandung will soon be published in the form of seminar proceedings. Provided additional financial resources are available, the proceedings will be published as a special issue of the Indigenous Knowledge and Development Monitor, anticipating the publication of the official seminar proceedings. Later, a selection of revised papers will be published in the form of a book, perhaps as part of a new series entitled 'Indigenous Knowledge and Development' (Intermediate Technology Publications (ITP), London (UK)).
Contact: Professor K. Adimihardja, INRIK. Department of Anthropology, University Padjadjaran, Jl. Banda 40, Bandung 40115, Indonesia.

Regional consultation meeting on global developments and the indigenous peoples
Los Banos (The Philippines) 27 June - 1 July, 1994.
The Southeast Asia Regional Institute for Community Education (SEARICE) convened a regional consultation meeting on global developments and the indigenous peoples. The 16 participants were representatives of the indigenous peoples and development workers from Indonesia, Malaysia, The Philippines and Thailand. The meeting was aimed at:

raising awareness of the implications for the indigenous peoples of recent trends and controversial issues in global developments, such as biotechnology, intellectual property rights, plant genetic resources conservation and international trade;
providing a venue for indigenous peoples to discuss and analyse these issues and the possible implications for their future; and
identifying action points and strategies to address the impact of these issues on the indigenous peoples.

Inputs related to modern biotechnology, plant genetic resources, intellectual property rights and human patenting were contributed by invited resource persons. Those who shared their knowledge of these issues with the participants were Ms Victoria Corpuz of the Cordillera Peoples' Alliance (CFA), Dr Julian Gonsalves of the International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR) and Mr Rene Salazar of SEARICE.
The participants agreed that it was not desirable to draw up concrete plans of action to address these issues in their respective countries and communities; they acknowledged the necessity of consulting their organizations and communities before coming up with any plan. The participants stressed the need to disseminate more information on these issues and their impact on the indigenous communities, through the publication of easy accessible materials and the use of innovative methods of distribution. The need to share information on these issues, together with strategies to promote them among indigenous peoples, was also expressed. (Neth Dano)
Contact: Ms Neth Dano, SEARICE (Southeast Asia Regional Institute for Community Education), Unit 332, Eagle Court Condominium, 26 Matalino St., Diliman, Quezon City, The Philippines. Tel/Fax: +63-2-9215432.

Ethnoveterinary workshop
Silang, Cavite (The Philippines), 11-13 July, 1994.
Some 20 participants from Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, The Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and the United States met at the International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR) to put together a kit containing information on ethnoveterinary medicine. The material describes practices that are effective and can be recommended to individuals and organizations involved in animal health care. The participants included scientists, animal health care practitioners from government and non- government organizations, and farmers. The kit consist of four booklets: one each for ruminants, pigs, and poultry, and a fourth booklet covering general topics.
Preparations for this workshop began about a year ago. Suitable participants were identified and a list of some 100 topics on the health care of ruminants, pigs, and poultry was compiled. Each participant was assigned several topics and asked to prepare a first draft, using the guidelines provided. The participants brought these drafts and various reference materials with them to the workshop.
During the workshop itself, each participant presented his or her drafts to the audience, who discussed and critiqued them, and added remedies used by livestock raisers in their countries. In this way, the original drafts were supplemented with remedies from other countries. The participants discussed each remedy, evaluating it according to a pre-agreed set of criteria, and unacceptable remedies were dropped from the kit. Some of the proposed topics were combined or dropped; others were added during the workshop.
Editors from the IIRR helped each participant to make the suggested adjustments to his or her topic. A team of artists drew illustrations to accompany the text, and the edited drafts and artwork were desktop published. In this way, a set containing second drafts of some 80 topics was produced.
The participants discussed these second drafts in small groups, reviewing the remedies and suggesting changes to the illustrations and text. The artists, editors and desktop publishing team then incorporated the changes.
The resulting third drafts will undergo a final review by the IIRR editorial team, and are expected to be ready for printing within two weeks after the workshop.
This workshop method has two major advantages: it reduces the total amount of time needed to develop the material and it takes advantage of the expertise and resources of a wide range of participants and their organizations.
For more information, please contact: Dr Evelyn Mathias, Reppika, IIRR, Silang, Cavite 4118, The Philippines.

International conference on 'Redefining the life sciences'
Penang (Malaysia), 7-10 July, 1994.
The aim of the conference on 'Redefining the life sciences', organized by the Third World Network, was to discuss recent trends in the life sciences that provide critiques of reductionist biology, and to present alternative, more holistic, approaches within the life sciences.
The conference brought together scientists and environmentalists who are concerned about the dominant scientific paradigm, particularly as it pertains to current developments in genetic engineering and the emerging agricultural biotechnologies. The conference was intended to assist in the establishment of a theoretical basis for new approaches to understanding the nature and the development of organisms, their components and their interrelationship with the larger environment.
The exchange of ideas and experiences helped to consolidate the idea and the development of holistic and ecological approaches to the life sciences. The role of non-Western indigenous sciences in this conceptual challenge inevitably arose in discussions.
The subject of the conference was embedded in a context of monopoly control of seeds and plant materials through intellectual property rights (IPRs). IPRs, in turn, are based on questionable assumptions concerning the superiority of reductionist science over more ecological options. This reasoning lays the foundation for the introduction of genetic engineering, with its concomitant threats to indigenous knowledge, biodiversity, sustainable agriculture and the survival of small farming communities. It is therefore important to address both the issue of science and technology and the issue of knowledge and ownership, in order to support the concept of sustainable agriculture and development.
A report containing the proceedings and papers presented at the conference will be available at a later date. (Ruth McCoy)
Contact: Ruth McCoy, TWN, 228 Macalister Road, 10400 Penang, Malaysia. Tel: + 60-4-2293511. Fax: + 604364505. E-mail:twn@igc.apc.org

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