Can the center speak for the subaltern?

This special issue addressing the theme of “Indigenous and Trans-Systemic Knowledge Systems” seeks to expand the existing methods, approaches, and conceptual understandings of Indigenous Knowledges to create new awareness, new explorations, and new inspirations across other knowledge systems. Typically, these have arisen and have been published through the western disciplinary traditions in interaction and engagement with diverse Indigenous Knowledge systems. Written by Indigenous and non-Indigenous scholars, and in collaborations, the contributions to this issue feature the research, study, or active exploration of applied methods or approaches from and with Indigenous Knowledge systems as scholarly inquiry, as well as practical communally-activated knowledge. These engagements between Eurocentric and Indigenous Knowledges have generated unique advancements dealing with dynamic systems that are constantly being animated and reformulated in various fields of life and experiences. While these varied applications abound, the essays in this issue explore the theme largely through scholarly research or applied pedagogies within conventional schools and universities. The engagement of these distinct knowledge systems has also generated reflective, immersive, and transactional explorations of how to foster well-being and recovery from colonialism in Indigenous community contexts.

Indigenous rights, knowledge, and value systems are linked inextricably to the lands, waters, and non-human beings that form the environments of Indigenous Peoples. Across the globe, the rights of Indigenous peoples are being formally recognized and as a result, efforts are being made to include Indigenous Knowledge and value systems in environmental policy and decision making. Scientists and decision makers must not only recognize this reality, but also operationalize these efforts through meaningful changes to create space for the inclusion of Indigenous Knowledge, Indigenous values, and sovereignty within the current methods for scientific enquiry and the development of environmental policies. Professionals in the environmental field have a responsibility to ensure that their work has a positive impact on Indigenous Peoples and their environments. In this study, we explore the concept of consultation and informed consent through the lens of the development of environmental policy and decision making. We will discuss these concepts in the context of ecological risk assessment related to a case study focused on contaminated sediment in a harbor within the Great Lakes. We will demonstrate a process that deconstructs the current protocols for risk assessments at sites with localized pollutants in sediment and rebuilds them with elements that recognize both Western and Indigenous knowledge systems. This process includes collaborative fieldwork, relationship building, and informal and formal interviews with participants and community members. By utilizing such approaches, we were able to develop a risk assessment framework that recognizes the sovereignty of Indigenous peoples and promotes effective Nation-to-Nation decision making.

The IPCC has begun to acknowledge, albeit slowly, the importance of Indigenous knowledge (IK) systems in contributing to understandings of climate change and effective climate action. Yet Indigenous Peoples (IPs) and IK systems remain largely excluded and marginalised from the IPCC global assessment reports. IPCC scientists and leaders have a unique and specific obligation to IK systems that does not extend to other knowledge systems. IK is the knowledge of rights holders and therefore acknowledging and respecting the self-determination of IPs over their knowledge – including how it is used, interpreted, and synthesised – is imperative. There are examples of IPs organising themselves in other international spaces that could inform how the IPCC can approach a stronger, more durable engagement with IPs. Perhaps the ultimate challenge for the IPCC is that when bringing IK systems together with other knowledge systems, the framing of evidence must reflect the diversity of these distinct and discrete ways of knowing. Examples from the lived experience of the Inuit Circumpolar Council in engaging with the IPCC demonstrate diverse channels for engagement, yet significant limitations persist.

The integration and use of Indigenous knowledge to inform contemporary environmental policy decisions and management solutions is a growing global phenomenon. However, there is little critical inquiry about how the interactions between scientific and Indigenous knowledge (IK) systems can be effectively negotiated for the joint management of social-ecological systems. Such issues are urgent on Indigenous lands where co-management efforts respond to pressing conservation agendas and where the contribution of scientific knowledge and IK is required to better understand and manage complex social-ecological systems. We draw on the notion of boundary work to examine how interaction at the boundaries of scientific and IK systems can be managed effectively as a contribution to co-management. The case study of feral animal co-management in Australia’s Kakadu National Park illuminates the work required for local co-managers to bridge the divide between scientific and IK systems and to ensure the translation of knowledge for management decisions. Attributes of effective boundary work demonstrated in this case include: meaningful participation in agenda setting and joint knowledge production to enable co-managers to translate available knowledge into joint feral animal programs, Indigenous and non-Indigenous ranger efforts to broker interactions between knowledge systems that are supported by co-governance arrangements to ensure that boundary work remains accountable, and the production of collaboratively built boundary objects (e.g., feral animal impact assessment data) that helps to coordinate local action between co-managers. This case study illustrates the contribution of boundary work to local co-manager efforts to translate across knowledge systems and across the knowledge-action divide, even when consensus is difficult to achieve.

There is currently a debate on the role of modern and indigenous knowledge systems in the smallholder farming sector. While the modern knowledge systems have been viewed as superior and are being touted as key towards meeting sustainable development goals, especially goal two of eradicating hunger, the performance of smallholder farmers utilising modern systems remains below expectations. The performance of farmers using indigenous knowledge systems has not resulted in better outcomes either. There are growing calls for an integration of the two knowledge systems to co-produce solutions relevant to smallholder farmers. However, not much is known about the extent to which this is already happening, how the integration is happening, and welfare effects of this integration. This paper assessed the extent to which smallholder irrigators integrate indigenous and modern knowledge; and whether this integration has resulted in improvements in cost reduction, productivity, and welfare levels. A sample size of 392 farmers in four irrigation schemes of KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape were interviewed. The results showed that the majority (52%) of the farmers integrated knowledge systems, while 10% and 38% relied on indigenous and modern systems, respectively. Farmers actively incorporated modern knowledge to enhance their traditional practices in their production methods in response to local challenges or opportunities. The results indicate that high maize yields attained by modern users were eroded by high inputs cost, while integrators were able to significantly reduce input costs (such as fertilizer, pesticide, herbicide costs) and the money saved was used to purchase more food, hence improving household food security. The results suggest that government, private institutions and NGOs should build on farmers’ agencies to plug-in modern knowledge into the indigenous knowledge systems through appropriate research and innovations rather than completely replacing indigenous systems with modern farming systems. Extension officers should change their mindset and acknowledge the importance of integrating indigenous knowledge into their training so that what is relevant to farmers may be adopted, thus enhancing sustainability and resilience of development efforts in developing countries.

This article contributes towards an indigenised version of technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK). It is a conceptual framework termed indigenous-and-Western technological pedagogical content knowledge (INDANDWEST-TPACK). The article critically discusses the knowledge systems which lead to the framework. Current TPACK lacks the integration of indigenous knowledge systems and Western knowledge systems despite the literature which has attempted to indigenise TPACK. INDANDWEST-TPACK, therefore, helps to integrate indigenous knowledge systems and Western knowledge systems, especially in an open distance and e-learning (ODeL) environment. Hence, this conceptual study addresses the question: How can TPACK be modified to cater for a balance between indigenous knowledge systems and Western knowledge systems? It is important for ODeL institutions such as the University of South Africa (Unisa) to de-Westernise (reduce Western dominance) technology and its pedagogical and content delivery function by integrating indigenous knowledge to benefit students from non-Western or indigenous cultural contexts. INDANDWEST-TPACK can, therefore, contribute towards Unisa's Africanisation of the curriculum project.

This study aims to bridge the ethical gap in integrating indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) and scientific knowledge systems (WSK) to enable sustainable mitigation of environmental and climate change challenges. Indigenous knowledge and belief systems have been used to guide nature conservation in sub-Saharan Africa for many years. Traditional knowledge is passed down from generation to generation, leading to resource management practices that promote environmental protection and sustainable development. Many indigenous communities in Asia, Australia and Africa just as globally have developed conservation plans that incorporate traditional ecological knowledge and community participation to protect habitats, animals, and ecosystems. However, there are ethical issues surrounding the integration of IKS and WSK that may weaken efforts to combat environmental and climate change challenges. To analyze many case studies from Asia, Australia, and sub-Saharan Africa (including Ghana, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, the Ivory Coast, and Zambia) that have investigated the integration of IKS and WSK for environmental and climate change mitigation, this study used a qualitative research method through the combination of document and content analyses. The study uses consequentialism and utilitarianism as environmental ethics theories to guide the integration of indigenous and scientific knowledge systems for sustainable mitigation strategies. Ethical issues encountered during the integration include proprietary rights for IKS, distortion and loss of traditional, cultural, and religious beliefs, and unequal recognition of IKS. The study advocates for broad and meaningful participation of indigenous and local knowledge in the international assessment process to promote effective environmental and climate change initiatives across diverse knowledge systems and perspectives.

I am grateful for the financial contributions provided by the Canadian Indigenous of Health Research (CIHR), Institute of Indigenous Peoples Health and Gender and Health, with First Nations Health Authority, the Canadian Nurses Foundation, and the University of Victoria.

Scientific knowledge systems have received increasing criticism within the social science literature while indigenous knowledge systems are often over-optimistically presented as viable alternative ways of knowing. This paper argues that we need to search for more effective and creative interactions between indigenous knowledge and scientific knowledge systems. I discuss the strengths and the weaknesses of both scientific and indigenous knowledge systems, then use three examples to illustrate the strengths and limitations of indigenous knowledge systems. I then draw on these examples to indicate in what situations we should look for guidance and ideas from indigenous knowledge systems. The paper closes with a discussion of how scientists, social scientists and people with local knowledge can better work together to improve agricultural and natural resource management systems.

The indigenous knowledge systems are a significant resource which would contribute to the increased efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability in environmental conservation among rural communities of developing countries in particular. They form the basis for community-level decision making in areas pertaining to food security, human and animal health, education and more important in natural resource management. However, despite their critical role in the conservation of the bio-physical environment, these practices and technologies are being marginalized or even forgotten among rural communities in different parts of the world. To ascertain the role played by these traditional practises on the bio-physical environment, this paper identified and established the Teso community indigenous environmental practices and assessed changes in these knowledge systems from the time of Kenya’s pre-independence to the 2000s era. Data were collected using various social science methods such as the questionnaire and focused group discussions. The results showed that the use of totems, protection of sacred places, prohibitions and gender and age restraints declined by 41.3, 68, 41.8 and 38.2%, respectively. The evident decline in the use of the indigenous environmental knowledge systems has negatively impacted on the state of the bio-physical environment exemplified by the Chi-square Pearson (P) values of 0.00 between decline in the use of age and gender restraints and the deterioration in land fertility and only a few elders using the knowledge systems and reduction in the number of rivers, streams and wetlands as exemplified by the Chi-square Pearson (P) value of 0.02. In view of the above, it is recommended that rekindling, recording and preservation of indigenous environmental best practices among local communities such as the Teso for sustainable natural resources management be re-invigorated and integrated in conventional environmental management plans. This also calls for participatory decision-making between policy makers, implementers and actual resource users. Key words: Indigenous knowledge systems, conservation, bio-physical environment.

This article focuses on drought risk reduction and climate change adaptation strategies adopted by rural households to sustain their livelihood activities. The overall objective was to understand the local household’s responses to the changing climate especially drought. The study was carried out in Chirumhanzu district in Zimbabwe and used a mixed methods approach combining 217 household surveys, targeted focus group discussions, participatory learning actions methods, key informant interviews and a document review. Household data were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences and thematic content analysis was used for the qualitative data. We found that the majority of households showed awareness of several risk reduction and adaptation strategies to implement during and/or when drought was predicted, with 56% of the respondents stating stocking of grain as initial strategy. Other strategies adopted at household level included early planting (at first rains), conservation farming, planting small grains and dry planting. Indigenous and traditional knowledge systems and practices, including local people’s holistic view of the community and environment, were a major resource for adapting to climate change and drought risks. However, these indigenous knowledge systems and practices had not been consistently used in the existing adaptation and risk-reduction efforts. Indigenous knowledge was not sufficiently acknowledged and integrated into formal risk reduction and adaptation strategies, which resulted in limited success for external interventions. There is need for integration of local and indigenous knowledge systems and external interventions to build household livelihoods that are resilient to climate risks.

This study investigates the integration of Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) into higher education using the African Rural University (ARU) in Uganda as a case study. Amidst global debates on the decolonisation of education and the revival of marginalised epistemologies, ARU stands out as the first all-women university in Africa to structurally embed IKS in its curriculum, pedagogy, and institutional philosophy. The study examines how IKS is operationalised in ARU’s programs, particularly through courses such as African Philosophy and Indigenous Knowledge Systems, as well as the unique use of Traditional Wisdom Specialists as university instructors. Adopting a qualitative case study design, data were collected through interviews, observation, and document review. Findings indicate that ARU's curriculum is composed of 40% practical and 60% theoretical learning, equipping students with hands-on skills in herbal medicine, indigenous agriculture, cultural ethics, and participatory development. Graduates emerge as Rural Transformation Specialists who are employed by the parent organisation, Uganda Rural Development and Training Programme (URDT), to serve as epicentre managers in rural communities. The study concludes that the ARU model offers a compelling framework for integrating Indigenous and academic knowledge systems to foster relevant, context-sensitive, and transformative education. It recommends broader policy support for IKS in African higher education, as well as further research into its long-term impact on sustainable development and rural transformation

This paper explores the Indigenous knowledge, cultural values, and sustainability through the experiences of the Baram and Kumal peoples in Gorkha, Nepal. It examines how their languages, customary practices, and cultural values inform ecological governance, sustainable resource management, and community solidarity. These Indigenous knowledge systems are deeply embedded in language, rituals, and oral traditions, and reflect principles of reciprocity, cooperation, and collective responsibility that sustain both society and environment. Practices such as Parma (labor exchange) and customary forest management demonstrate how cultural values shape sustainable livelihoods. However, state policies, economic changes, and dominant socio-cultural forces such as Hinduization, Sanskritization, and formal education systems have marginalized these knowledge systems, threatening linguistic diversity and traditional ecological practices. Language, as a key repository of Indigenous epistemologies, plays a critical role in shaping concepts of sustainability and environmental ethics. The erosion of the Baram and Kumal languages due to modernization and assimilationist policies risks the loss of invaluable cultural and ecological knowledge. By centering Indigenous perspectives, this paper underscores the need to recognize, protect, and revitalize Indigenous languages and knowledge systems as essential to sustainable development and social equity. It highlights the interdependence between cultural identity, language, and environmental stewardship in the ongoing struggle for Indigenous survival and sustainability.

The application of knowledge (measured in term of entrepreneurship and innovations, research and development, and software and product design) has become one of the spring boards of economic growth. The paper highlights six hindrances to renaissance explosion in knowledge in Africa with special emphasis on inefficiency in indigenous knowledge systems following colonialism. It further highlighted major challenges such as low capacity to invest in advanced human capital, low scientific and analytical capacity, low level of access to education, low digital capacity, low public interest in knowledge systems and low strategic aspiration facing Africa in developing efficient indigenous knowledge systems. The authors, drawing on existing literature and expert consultations, clearly identified and established major challenges being faced by African countries in leveraging on intellectual advances and suggest ways to transform the knowledge and innovation system in moving the continent towards the knowledge economy.

Indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) comprise knowledge systems that have developed within various societies’ independent of, and prior to, the advent of the modern scientific knowledge system. IKS from various cultures evolved into broad and comprehensive knowledge systems, such as those from ancient India, China and Africa, that addressed societal and traditional knowledge issues in various fields important to human survival and the quality of life, including agriculture, health and water, amongst others. In this paper, the IKS of India and China, with particular focus on agriculture and health, are examined for methodologies and received understanding, within the context of identifying and evaluating appropriate technologies for development. Although much work on the cataloguing and documenting of IKS has been completed in these two countries, there is a paucity of attention that has been paid to the scientific rationale and technological content and methodologies of these indigenous knowledge systems. In our work, we examine more closely the scientific and engineering rationale of selected indigenous technologies for agriculture and health that demonstrate a holistic approach to development for their societies. The evaluation reveals that many technologies classified as ‘appropriate’ for developing communities to address basic needs of water, sanitation and agriculture have their roots in indigenous knowledge systems that have survived in some form, albeit at a much diminished level. We demonstrate that these studies potentially provide valuable resources for appropriate technology development. The extensive history of IKS and practices in India and China provide a rich resource and a history of engagement, success and failure that could beneficially inform communities in their search for improved quality of life. The paper concludes with a preliminary evaluation of certain African knowledge systems in agriculture, water and health, and suggests an approach to conservation of these IKS to better inform development for social justice, especially on the African continent.