Indigenous science is the application and intersection of Indigenous knowledge and science. In ecology, this is sometimes termed traditional ecological knowledge.[1][2][3] Indigenous science refers to the knowledge systems and practices of Indigenous peoples, which are deeply rooted in their cultural traditions and relationships understanding of an Indigenous Nations territory or place. Indigenous science is holistic.[4] It follows the same methods of Western science including (but not limited to): observation, prediction, interpretation, questioning.[5] Despite the knowledge and expertise that Indigenous science brings, it has often been devalued by the Western scientific establishment.[6] However, there has been a growing recognition in recent decades of the importance of incorporating Indigenous perspectives and knowledge systems into mainstream scientific practice, particularly in fields such as ecology and environmental management.[7][8]

Traditional and scientific

Indigenous knowledge and experiences have traditionally been passed down orally from generation to generation.[9][10] The concept of Indigenous science promotes the idea that every culture has its own science and understanding of the world.[11] This point of view has been employed by scientists and policy makers to adopt new paradigms for the interpretation and human management of natural processes.[12][13] While there are differences in the use of and structure between Indigenous science and scientific knowledge, Indigenous science has an empirical basis and has traditionally been used to predict and understand the world.[14][15][16]

In ecology

Culturally modified trees (CMTs) are when resources from a tree are used in a way that does not kill the tree itself.
Illustration of fish weir, designed to guide salmon in the enclosure to be hand selected as a way to manage the salmon population to ensure healthy runs the following year.

Indigenous Science is often used by the term "traditional ecological knowledge" or "TEK". However, Indigenous science refers to a multi-contextual thought.[17] Whereas TEK refers to a term given by Western scientists to explain more regarding ecology, but it is a good representation of a category of Indigenous science.[18]

The study of Ecology focuses on the relationships and patterns between organisms in their environment,[19] which is a fundamental aspect of Indigenous Science. Using the subject of ecology is a great place to start when looking to see the different pathways of bridging Indigenous science and Western science. However, since this knowledge is place-based, it is important to understand that the various knowledges can vary depending on the questions and answers needed.[20] It is often seen in Western science, the combination of two sciences to create a new subject with a new form of understanding. For example, ethnobiology combines biology with ecology allowing ethnobotanists to utilize methods of Indigenous knowledge and botany for the purpose of identification and classification of species.[21] Using ecology can also be a great start when trying to understand the perspective of (w)holistic thought by thinking of impacts such as how the declining fish population effects nature, the food web, and coastal ecosystems.[22]

Indigenous science has helped to address ecological challenges including the restoration of salmon,[23] management of seabird harvests,[24] outbreaks of hantavirus,[25] and addressing wildfires.[26]

Place based sciences

Indigenous science, unlike western science, differs in perspective because Indigenous science is subjective and not reductionist and objective like Western science is.[27] What this means, is that a person's understanding of science is holistically based on their territory, cultural practices, and experiences/teachings throughout life.[28]

This understanding in contemporary settings has led to the collaboration between Indigenous communities and scientists in projects, thus "indigenizing" the scientific method. This allows for Indigenous-led projects and community work to respect and legitimize their knowledge and understandings.[29]

Climatology studies have made use of traditional knowledge (Qaujimajatuqangit) among the Inuit when studying long-term changes in sea ice.[30][31]

As well as in ecology, Indigenous knowledge has been used in biological areas including animal behaviour, evolution, physiology, life history, morphology, wildlife conservation, wildlife health, and taxonomy.[32]

Indigenous technologies

The definition of technology is "the application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes, especially in industry.".[33] This would imply that when an Indigenous technology was developed, the science or knowledge of it came first. There are many examples of Indigenous technologies that were developed for specific use based on their location and culture such as: clam gardens, fish weirs, culturally modified trees (CMTs), looms, textiles, jewelry, etc....[34] It is also important to note that these technologies were not as simple as providing tourist experiences but range a wide variety of subjects such as: agri- and mari-culture, fishing, forest management and resource exploitation, atmospheric, and land based management techniques.[34]

Indigenous technologies were not commodities for profit but land-based, ecologically sustainable feats of science and mathematics. Chaco Canyon is an excellent example of this.[35]

Technology by area

As stated above, different technologies were developed by location. The following will cover various technologies used by Indigenous peoples in areas of what is now the United States.

The American Southeast

Agriculture in the southeast was efficient and could produce massive yields. It was based on a mixed-crop, shifting cultivation system. [36] This efficiency is partially due to the method of growing corn, beans, and squash together in the same mounds; an inter-cropping system known as the three sisters. [37] In this horticultural technique, each plant offers something to the others, making for flourishing crops. To explain the technique plainly, corn provides support for the beans, beans provide nitrogen from nitrogen-fixing bacteria that live on their roots, and squash provide ground cover (suppresses weeds and keeps soil moist). [37]A few other foods would have been grown by some; things like sunflowers or grains like barley or maygrass. [38] However, the three sisters were staple foods in the native southeast diet. Dozens of varieties of each plant were grown.  

Notable scholars

References

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