14 August 2020

Indigenous Knowledge As International Booboo In Agriculture And Conservation Journalism?

 

“Sustainability of indigenous knowledge, a winning combination” – I have seen this on Facebook so many times and a science communicator, I can’t help but comment on it now. This is communication that is miscommunicating!

Above, look at those 7 words again from Sustainable Research Innovation, SRI:

“Sustainability of indigenous knowledge, a winning combination”

First:
What in the world would make “a winning combination” with indigenous knowledge for sustainability?

Second:
How exactly do you combine to make them/it a winner?

Such constructions of concepts are the responsibilities of the Copywriter, Editor, and Leader of the SRI Sustainability Experts. In this case, they don’t know enough what they are saying?! Otherwise, I take it as an insult to me, a reader. (image of “I can explain it to you” from RedBubble[1])

It doesn’t matter who Mazzeillla Maniwavie, Robyn Ames, Cathy Robinson, Oliver Costello and Sara Philipps are – it’s the very careless statement that seems to come from them that bothers me as communicator.

Part of the text says, “increasing awareness of the sustainable way of living of indigenous populations as well as the deterioration of the conditions of the planet…”

This is what they are notsaying:

Indigenous Knowledge married to Experimental Knowledge.

Those ladies & gentleman should be intimating in their SRI announcement the new or improved sets & pieces that modern science have discovered or tinkered with that may work in favor of modern society’s needs:

That would be sustainability of indigenous knowledge with improvability of modern knowledge. Because? Indigenous knowledge cannot stand alone!

The problem is that those ladies & gentleman of SRI do not begin by inviting audience to watch and listen and then think for themselves, given such and such premises. The SRI experts just seem to want us not really to think for ourselves but to receive and rejoice with indigenous knowledge as understood by the experts.

In contrast, here is a balanced presentation of the concepts: Georgia Magni’s 2016 paper, “Indigenous Knowledge And Implications For The Sustainable Development Agenda[2](Unesdoc Digital Library). Miss Georgia says the aim of the Agenda is:

adaptation of technology to the local needs, the preservation of valuable local knowledge and the use of local skills in monitoring and early warning systems and (emphasizing) human needs and resources.

In the Philippines, are we doing this with the Cordillerans, the Maranaos, the Zambals for instance? Natives are worth every God-given gift like the rest of us. Indigenous knowledge is a gift that cannot simply be taken away in the name of “modern social needs.”

Through their research illustrating the utility of indigenous knowledge, these scholars attempted to raise awareness among policy makers and neoliberal economists of the importance of bottom-up perspectives to create more locally appropriate and environmentally sustainable solutions.

“Bottom-up perspectives” means you use indigenous knowledge to arrive at modern sustainable ways.

Communication is key. With indigenous knowledge, you do not simply adopt; you adapt. To adopt is to use 100%; to adapt is to use after modifying. Sustainability comes after adaptation, not adoption.@



[1]https://www.redbubble.com/shop/i+can+explain+it+to+you+stickers

[2]https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000245623

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