“Indigenous Knowledge” has a new meaning. It means that the federal government, with a small Native American tribe presence, can make decisions with little legal interference. Frightening!
It’s frightening because the authors and proponents actually believe that “Indigenous Peoples have developed their knowledge systems over millennia, and continue to do so based on evidence acquired through direct contact with the environment, long-term experiences, extensive observations, lessons, and skills.”
None of that really explains why “Indigenous Peoples” drive cars instead of riding horses, use metal tools rather than Stone Age tools, live in houses rather than teepees, use guns rather than bows and arrows, buy food at the grocery store rather than hunting and gathering, accept money from the government rather than maintaining self-sufficiency, take drugs rather than adhering to traditional healing practices, etc., etc., etc.
Whatever existed of indigenous knowledge systems has either been buried by the sands of time or exposed as being irrelevant in modern times. However, we can pay lip service to the idea of the “noble savage”.
Why is it frightening? I see nothing in the document which deserves that label. There are two points to be made. First, it is high time we recognised the shortcomings of Western science. It has done nothing to prevent the jeopardy in which we find ourselves. Indeed in some respects it has facilitated the degradation. Second indigenous peoples have ownership rights, both acknowledged and unacknowledged, which must be respected.
It’s the administrative and environmental state using “Indigenous Knowledge” like a trump card which is above legal.
It’s frightening because the authors and proponents actually believe that “Indigenous Peoples have developed their knowledge systems over millennia, and continue to do so based on evidence acquired through direct contact with the environment, long-term experiences, extensive observations, lessons, and skills.”
None of that really explains why “Indigenous Peoples” drive cars instead of riding horses, use metal tools rather than Stone Age tools, live in houses rather than teepees, use guns rather than bows and arrows, buy food at the grocery store rather than hunting and gathering, accept money from the government rather than maintaining self-sufficiency, take drugs rather than adhering to traditional healing practices, etc., etc., etc.
Whatever existed of indigenous knowledge systems has either been buried by the sands of time or exposed as being irrelevant in modern times. However, we can pay lip service to the idea of the “noble savage”.
Why is it frightening? I see nothing in the document which deserves that label. There are two points to be made. First, it is high time we recognised the shortcomings of Western science. It has done nothing to prevent the jeopardy in which we find ourselves. Indeed in some respects it has facilitated the degradation. Second indigenous peoples have ownership rights, both acknowledged and unacknowledged, which must be respected.