Establishing mentoring and coaching mechanisms for preserving indigenous knowledge

Abstract

Indigenous peoples possess idiosyncratic traditional knowledge and pass it down from generation to generation. This traditional knowledge is related to natural resources management, handicrafts, agriculture and maritime knowledge to maintain the livelihoods and survival of indigenous communities, including those in Southeast Asia. Thus, the preservation of indigenous knowledge is a must to do. Encouraged by this concern, we propose a framework mechanism that can be used, as one traditional culture preservation method, for mentoring and coaching in indigenous communities by utilising several well-established concepts in the knowledge management literature, such as the knowledge management cycle, knowledge management maturity, SECI model, learning theory and community of practice (CoP). This chapter contributes to the knowledge management body of knowledge by presenting a mechanism that describes the dynamics of knowledge accumulation (know-why and know-how) process through the mentoring and coaching experienced by an indigenous community member.