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. It follows the same methods of Western science including (but not limited to): observation, prediction, interpretation, questioning.[4] Despite the knowledge and expertise that Indigenous science brings, it has often been devalued by the Western scientific establishment.[5] 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.[6][7]
Indigenous knowledge and experiences have traditionally been passed down orally from generation to generation.[8][9] The concept of Indigenous science promotes the idea that every culture has its own science and understanding of the world.[10] 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.[11][12] 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.[13][14][15]
Indigenous Science is often used by the term "traditional ecological knowledge" or "TEK". However, Indigenous science refers to a multi-contextual thought.[16] 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.[17]
The study of Ecology focuses on the relationships and patterns between organisms in their environment,[18] 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.[19] 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.[20] 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.[21]
Indigenous science has helped to address ecological challenges including the restoration of salmon,[22] management of seabird harvests,[23] outbreaks of hantavirus,[24] and addressing wildfires.[25]
Indigenous science, unlike western science, differs in perspective because Indigneous science is subjective and not reductionist and objective like Western science is.[26] What this means, is that a person's understanding of science is holistically based on their territory, cultural practices, and experiences/teachings throughout life.[27]
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 Indigneous-led projects and community work to respect and legitimize their knowledge and understandings.[28]
Climatology studies have made use of traditional knowledge (Qaujimajatuqangit) among the Inuit when studying long-term changes in sea ice.[29][30]
The definition of technology is "the application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes, especially in industry.".[32] 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....[33] 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.[33]
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.[34]
^Reynolds, Nathaniel; Romano, Marc (2013). "Traditional Ecological Knowledge: Reconstructing Historical Run Timing and Spawning Distribution of Eulachon through Tribal Oral History". Journal of Northwest Anthropology. 47 (1): 47–70.
^Traditional ecological knowledge : concepts and cases. Julian Inglis, International Program on Traditional Ecological Knowledge, International Development Research Centre, International Association for the Study of Common Property. Meeting, Common Property Conference. Ottawa, Ont., Canada. 1993. ISBN9780889366831. OCLC137342338. Archived from the original on 17 April 2023. Retrieved 7 August 2022.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: others (link)
^Diana, Diaz, Sandra Demissew, Sebsebe Carabias, Julia Joly, Carlos Lonsdale, Mark Ash, Neville Larigauderie, Anne Adhikari, Jay Ram Arico, Salvatore Baldi, Andras Bartuska, Ann Baste, Ivar Andreas Bilgin, Adem Brondizio, Eduardo Chan, Kai M. A. Figueroa, Viviana Elsa Duraiappah, Anantha Fischer, Markus Hill, Rosemary Koetz, Thomas Leadley, Paul Lyver, Philip Mace, Georgina M. Martin-Lopez, Berta Okumura, Michiko Pacheco, Diego Pascual, Unai Perez, Edgar Selvin Reyers, Belinda Roth, Eva Saito, Osamu Scholes, Robert John Sharma, Nalini Tallis, Heather Thaman, Randolph Watson, Robert Yahara, Tetsukazu Hamid, Zakri Abdul Akosim, Callistus Al-Hafedh, Yousef Allahverdiyev, Rashad Amankwah, Edward Asah, Stanley T. Asfaw, Zemede Bartus, Gabor Brooks, L. Anathea Caillaux, Jorge Dalle, Gemedo Darnaedi, Dedy Driver, Amanda Erpul, Gunay Escobar-Eyzaguirre, Pablo Failler, Pierre Fouda, Ali Moustafa Mokhtar Fu, Bojie Gundimeda, Haripriya Hashimoto, Shizuka Homer, Floyd Lavorel, Sandra Lichtenstein, Gabriela Mala, William Armand Mandivenyi, Wadzanayi Matczak, Piotr Mbizvo, Carmel Mehrdadi, Mehrasa Metzger, Jean Paul Mikissa, Jean Bruno Moller, Henrik Mooney, Harold A. Mumby, Peter Nagendra, Harini Nesshover, Carsten Oteng-Yeboah, Alfred Apau Pataki, Gyoergy Roue, Marie Rubis, Jennifer Schultz, Maria Smith, Peggy Sumaila, Rashid Takeuchi, Kazuhiko Thomas, Spencer Verma, Madhu Yeo-Chang, Youn Zlatanova (2015). The IPBES Conceptual Framework - connecting nature and people. Stockholms universitet, Stockholm Resilience Centre. OCLC1234230658. Archived from the original on 17 April 2023. Retrieved 17 April 2023.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^"Enabling Resiliency in the Face of Climate Change: SmartICE is an award-winning technological innovation for the North". SmartIce. Archived from the original on 4 August 2022. Retrieved 12 August 2022. We are the worldʼs first climate change adaptation tool to integrate traditional knowledge of sea ice with advanced data acquisition and remote monitoring technology. Our system combines these approaches to provide invaluable, data-driven insights into sea ice thickness and local ice conditions, in near real-time.