Indigenous Knowledge and Development Monitor, July 1998

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Editorial

‘Learning to listen is one of the most valuable lessons to be learned’, say the authors of the first article in this IKDM, quoting R. Chambers.1 The quote refers to the use of participatory rural appraisal methods among the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska (USA), where it is shown that the approach can be tailored to fit the needs of almost any community. The first thing that Marcella Szymanski, Lisa Whitewing and Joe Colletti learned when they stopped to listen was that direct participation in a group environment would not work. In their case, an indirect approach worked much better. By combining listening with looking and being sensitive to the community’s culture, insight was gained that resulted in community solutions to problems associated with community-driven land use.

We use all of our senses to learn about the external world–sight, hearing, and even smell, taste and touch. In her article ‘Learning local knowledge of soils: a focus on methodology’, Deirdre M. Birmingham describes using participant observation to elicit local knowledge of soils from representatives of two ethnic groups in two different ecological zones of West Africa. The two groups, the Bété and the Senufo, taught her to use all her senses, including touch and smell, when identifying soils. She carefully reports her experiences.

In the third article, by J. Obua and G. Muhanguzi, the final sense–that of taste– comes indirectly into play. The article focuses on farmers’ knowledge of indigenous tree cultivation near the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest of Uganda. We learn that indigenous tree species are valued for their capacity to meet a large number of community needs: for timber, boundary markers, firewood, and bean stakes, as well as for crafts and soil enrichment. Several species also have medicinal uses, yielding products that are ingested (hence the connection with the sense of taste). Some are held in the mouth to relieve toothache; others are used as diuretics or to reduce fever.

So there are many ways to learn about indigenous knowledge. But what exactly is indigenous knowledge? Up to now we have employed only an implicit definition of the concept. As you can read in ‘Focus’, the Indigenous Knowledge and Development Monitor "serves everyone around the world who has an interest in the role that indigenous knowledge (local knowledge, traditional knowledge) plays in participatory approaches to sustainable development." This is a concise version of the late D.M. Warren’s definition, which contrasts indigenous knowledge with the knowledge generated through universities, government research centres and private industry.2

Would it not make sense to try to formulate a more explicit definition for use in the Monitor? Louise Grenier, in her recently published guide for researchers,3 defines indigenous knowledge as "the unique, traditional, local knowledge existing within and developed around the specific conditions of women and men indigenous to a particular geographic area." She then mentions several characteristics of indigenous knowledge. We largely agree with her definition, but would make a few alterations. The definition we propose is as follows:

Indigenous knowledge is the sum total of the knowledge and skills which people in a particular geographic area possess, and which enable them to get the most out of their natural environment. Most of this knowledge and these skills have been passed down from earlier generations, but individual men and women in each new generation adapt and add to this body of knowledge in a constant adjustment to changing circumstances and environmental conditions. They in turn pass on the body of knowledge intact to the next generation, in an effort to provide them with survival strategies.

May we now invite you, readers, to put forward your own preferred definitions of the concept. We could then all discuss and decide together what exactly will become the clearest way of saying what indigenous knowledge is all about in the context of the Monitor. We are looking forward to receiving your input.

1 R. Chambers, Whose reality counts? Putting the first last. London: IIED 1997.

2 D.M. Warren, ’Indigenous knowledge, biodiversity conservation and development: keynote address. International conference on conservation of biodiversity in Africa: local initiatives and institutional roles, 30 Aug.–3 Sept., Nairobi, Kenya. Nairobi: National Museums of Kenya 1992.

3 Louise Grenier, Working with indigenous knowledge. A guide for researchers. Ottawa: IDRC 1998.

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