1. Indigenous Knowledge Systems
Indigenous peoples are generally identified as the descendants of original inhabitants who lived in a region prior to colonization. As a United Nations report notes, “Indigenous peoples are the descendants of those who inhabited a country or a geographical region at the time when people of different cultures or ethnic origins arrived.” These communities practice “unique traditions” and maintain social, cultural, economic and political characteristics that are distinct from the dominant societies around them. The UN estimates there are over 370 million Indigenous people spread across 70 countries, underscoring the global significance of Indigenous knowledge.
“Indigenous knowledge” itself is usually defined as a cumulative body of wisdom developed over generations in close connection with a particular environment. One scholarly definition describes it as knowledge that is “spatially and/or culturally context specific, collective, holistic, and adaptive”. In other words, it is knowledge deeply rooted in local traditions and experiences, shared within a community, and constantly evolving. For example, Māori people of New Zealand refer to mātauranga Māori (literally “Māori knowledge”) to encompass all the wisdom, practices and values of Māori culture, from language and creation stories to land management and medicine.
Colonialism and globalization have both drawn attention to the value of Indigenous knowledge and simultaneously threatened it. As one Indigenous activist observed, “The forest is not a resource for us, it is life itself.” This quote encapsulates how many Indigenous worldviews see nature as living and sacred, not just a commodity. Unfortunately, centuries of colonial policies (such as forced assimilation and land dispossession) have often eroded traditional ways of knowing. TokResource notes that “colonization and globalization … have also been the main cause of [Indigenous knowledge’s] erosion and/or demise.”. Today, preserving these knowledge systems is seen as urgent: for example, indigenous languages (which carry so much cultural wisdom) are disappearing at alarming rates. In short, this theme invites us to explore what we can learn from traditional ways of being and knowing, and to consider how Indigenous and Western knowledge systems differ and interact.
2. Key Concepts and Characteristics of Indigenous Knowledge
Indigenous knowledge systems have several distinctive features. They are typically holistic and ecological: knowledge is not separated into disjoint disciplines, but viewed as interconnected parts of a whole. For instance, Pressbooks notes that unlike Western science, which “compartmentalizes knowledge into disciplines,” Indigenous knowledge “is holistic, considering the interconnectedness of all elements in the environment—land, water, plants, animals, and humans.”. In practice this means an Indigenous worldview may see humans and nature as part of one living system. As a Sámi source explains, “traditional life [is] deeply intertwined with nature,” so that practices like reindeer herding are not just economic activities but also spiritual ones. In this holistic view, people are responsible for caring for the land (a concept like the Māori notion of Kotahitanga, or guardianship) rather than exploiting it.
Other key characteristics include a long-term, adaptive perspective. Indigenous communities have typically lived in a region for many generations, learning through direct experience how to manage ecosystems sustainably. Over centuries they have observed cycles of climate and ecological change, so their knowledge tends to be “resilient” and focused on survival and balance. For example, Inuit hunters have kept detailed memories of sea ice and animal migrations passed down through elders. This deep local knowledge makes Indigenous systems adaptable to change.
Oral tradition is also fundamental. Unlike most Western knowledge, which often values written records, many Indigenous societies transmit knowledge through stories, songs, ceremonies and apprenticeships. Pressbooks emphasizes that Indigenous knowledge “is passed down orally from generation to generation and is deeply embedded in the cultural, social, and spiritual lives of Indigenous communities.”. Storytelling and myth carry practical lessons: a traditional story may encode information about navigation, astronomy, or medicinal plants. Cultural Survival describes oral tradition as a “vehicle” for education, where the storyteller’s own experiences grant authority to what they teach. In sum, knowledge is shared through lived practices and communal memory rather than textbooks.
Summarizing, we can group some characteristic features:
- Holistic worldview: Humans are seen as integral parts of nature. Indigenous knowledge recognizes the interconnectedness of all elements of the environment.
- Context-specific (place-based): Knowledge is tied to specific lands, languages and cultures. A practice that works in one environment may not make sense elsewhere.
- Communal and cumulative: Knowledge is held by the community and built up over generations. No single individual “owns” it. It often reflects collective values and identity.
- Oral and practical: Much is passed through oral tradition (stories, rituals) and embodied in everyday practices. Elders and experts (like shamans or chiefs) serve as knowledge-keepers.
- Adaptive and evolving: Indigenous knowledge continuously incorporates new experiences. It often coexists with modern knowledge, as seen in collaborative projects that blend scientific research with traditional insights.
Each of these features reflects the core idea that Indigenous knowledge systems view knowledge not as abstract facts, but as a way of life – integrated with community, land, and spirituality.
