Around the World,  Innovation,  Sustainability

Indigenous Knowledge? Yes, It’s Global Knowledge

By The Editors

Sharing global knowledge?  Yes, indispensable knowledge on the preservation of ecosystems and biodiversity, the sustainable use of protected natural areas, as well as development and food security — all related to the indigenous peoples of Africa, Asia, Latin America and other countries, such as Canada and Australia.  Indispensable knowledge that is being shared these days (May 26 – 29) in the capital city of Australia’s Northern Territory, Darwin.

The occasion?  The first World Indigenous Network (WIN) conference, which calls on native delegates from over 50 countries to help build a strong foundation for an innovative and well-grounded enduring World Indigenous Network.

According to the World Indigenous Network website, “The journey of the World Indigenous Network began on a warm day in August 2011, when two men, sitting on the shores of the beautiful Sunday Island, part of the Buccaneer Archipelago in the West Kimberley of Western Australia, talked about the idea of an international knowledge sharing network for Indigenous land and sea managers. They formed a partnership that day, with a desire to share their vision with the world.  These two men were Tony Burke, the Australian Government Environment Minister and Wayne Bergmann, the CEO of KRED Enterprises. The Kimberley Land Council in Western Australia established KRED to seek out and develop business and job opportunities for the Kimberley Aboriginal people.”

Indigenous knowledge – which brings together different facets of knowing, seeing, and thinking that are passed down orally from generation to generation and result from thousands of years of experimentation and innovation – is global knowledge, knowledge that we can all use to face development and environmental issues.

7 Comments

  • Nisha Hudda

    Knowledge is meant to be shared and the goal in this program is to share knowledge globally, which is very interesting and different. Fifty countries will work together to build a WIN, which is a great number of countries working together on one goal, which is knowledge! Indigenous knowledge comes from indigenous communities that pass their knowledge from generations and keep it in there community. An example would be grandma’s secret ingredient for her pie. It is something that maybe only the family knows but the rest of the community could find it useful as well. That is just a peculiar example so readers can relate. I believe that the knowledge that will be shared will be sacred and useful because it has not been shared with the rest of the world as of yet, and when it will, it will make the world know more about the area and environment which can be very useful.

  • Jbruno1

    I think having the WIN Conference is a great way to help increase the initiative of everyone involved and get others informed. The conference seems like a way to share knowledge practiced by various populations. I hope that this project quickly spreads to more than just the fifty nations. My only concern is the methods it will be enforced in those nations. It seems as though it will still be dependent on government assistance.

  • Alejaaa21

    I like the concept of the WIN conference and its purpose of sharing indigenous knowledge with fifty other native delegates. I truly believe this will share a side of native indegineous groups that we’ve never seen before. These indigenous people hold years of experience with facts passed down to them through generations. These people not only hold valuable facts, but share a common ritual with their passed ancestors, something that may not be as common today. I’d like to see the outcome of this conference once it comes to a close and see the impact it has on all of the delegates and also to see how many commonalities they share.

    • nicole_v23

      I completely agree with the comment above. Indigenous knowledge combines every aspect of the culture passed down from generation to generation. The conference will be great in building a strong and steady foundation, one in which future generations will uphold. It is important to share this knowledge and build off this knowledge to create a brighter and more innovative future.

    • Robbie A

      As the post says, the conference run from May 26 to May 29, so we can now talk in terms of outcomes. Here are just a couple of them: According to the Inter Press Service News Agency, indigenous people from around the world shared best practices in conservation of ecosystems and biodiversity and in the sustainable use of protected natural areas in Africa, Asia, Latin America, Canada and Australia. However, one of the closing session 10 speakers said that the big challenge is to consolidate “the indigenous network so its collective voice can be heard” and to get governments to implement its proposals. I think it will be interesting to see what the response from the various governments will be.

      • nicole_v23

        As there is for anything, I’m sure that there will be both positive and negative responses from the various government agencies. Hopefully, majority will be in favor of spreading indigenous knowledge. Also when referring to the “collective voice” of the indigenous people I hope that all voices are taken into consideration and not just the loudest.

    • awilliams199

      Similarly to alejaaa21 I do think the WIN concept is a interesting concept because it allows people from around the world to connect with one another by sharing information. The ability to receive information from indigenous people living in remote areas of the world offers people a chance to learn about different cultures. This conference also provides an outlet for important issues to be addressed such as the effects of industrial activities on indigenous communities. With the amount of activities being conducted pollutant contaminate many areas of the global environment including soil, water, and air. Because indigenous people do not have access to modern day technologies or treatments pollutants pose a greater threat on these people.

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