The Significance of Multicultural Methodologies on African Indigenous Knowledge Research

Author(s):  
Stewart Lee Kugara ◽  
Tsetselelani Decide Mdhluli ◽  
Thizwilondi Joanbeth Daswa ◽  
Pfarelo Eva Matshidze ◽  
Ndidzulafhi Esther Ramavhunga

Throughout history, African indigenous knowledge has been researched using Western-centred methodologies. From the onset, there was a great deal of resistance from indigenous peoples as most of these researchers used ethical considerations that are foreign to local communities. The African indigenous holders emphasise some cultural concepts that are sacrosanct and indispensable to them. This chapter, therefore, seeks to ferrate the significance of Western-centred methodologies vis-à-vis African-centred (Africa-centred, Afrocentric, Africentric, Afrocentricity, and African-worldview) methodologies in the collection of data among African indigenous communities. The concept of sharing (hybrid methodology) provides a platform of reflection especially on protocol and research tools.

1997 ◽  
Vol 56 (2) ◽  
pp. 127-137 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fundación Indígena (FSI) ◽  
Brij Kothari

Research on indigenous knowledge has resulted in innumerable benefits to the Outsider(s). Indigenous peoples should be compensated in return. This article argues for integrating compensation and empowerment into the heart of the research process itself rather than viewing them as post-project undertakings. "Rights to the Benefits of Research" (RBR) is proposed as a unifying term to coalesce ideas of compensation for benefits to the Outsider(s) obtained from a noncommercial research process. In contrast, compensation of indigenous peoples via "Intellectual Property Rights" (IPR) is seen as predicated primarily upon commercial benefits. A strategy to implement RBR based on ethical guidelines and indigenous peoples' empowerment is suggested. A participatory ethnobotanical research project conducted in Ecuador serves to illustrate benefits for which compensation would fall under RBR but not IPR. The project involved the local communities in documenting their oral knowledge of medicinal plants in a written form, primarily for themselves. It is assessed along extractive, compensatory, and empowering tendencies through post-project self-reflection. The article posits that the conservation of indigenous knowledge for and by the local peoples could have positive implications for protecting their intellectual property from predations by the Outsider(s).


2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (3.30) ◽  
pp. 99
Author(s):  
Al-Hanisham Mohd Khalid ◽  
Rohaida Nordi ◽  
Safinaz Mohd Hussein

Conserving indigenous knowledge (IK) has long been discussed in international fore for more than five decade. The core issues is there is unanimity among scholars, governments, indigenous peoples and local communities on whether and how issue of IK could be harmonise within intellectual property rights law framework particularly copyrights. This paper aims to highlight the issues of conserving indigenous knowledge since indigenous knowledge does not belong to one generation but all generations. Discussion will embark on from the perspective of intellectual property jurisprudence through the works of Henry Reynolds, James Tully and Will Kymlicka. The outcome of this paper demonstrates promising thought into the role of intergeneration justice in protecting indigenous peoples in Malaysia. It is the contention of this paper that perhaps such conditions could apply to traditional knowledge too in addressing the plight of indigenous peoples. 


Resources ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria S. Tysiachniouk ◽  
Andrey N. Petrov ◽  
Violetta Gassiy

The aim of this Special Issue is to provide a comprehensive view of the benefit sharing and compensation mechanisms for the Indigenous Peoples and local communities in the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions due to industrial resource extraction. The papers cover the following topics: (1) Benefit-sharing frameworks in the Arctic. (2) Corporate social responsibility standards and benefit sharing by extractive industries in the Arctic. (3) Benefit sharing and international and national legislation. (4) The practice of implementing legislation to support Indigenous and local interests. (5) The methodologies for assessing compensation to Indigenous communities from extractive industries.


Author(s):  
Bernard Perley

Indigenous anthropology is an emergent praxis of Indigenous knowledge production that can be vaguely translated and tentatively identified as approximating anthropological enquiry in the Western sense of the social science. The decolonizing practices by Indigenous scholars have outlined contours of critical Indigenous praxis that seek to liberate Indigenous communities from colonial and settler hegemonies of knowledge production, dissemination of knowledges, and the ongoing constraints colonial systems of systemic racism have imposed on Indigenous peoples as a global phenomenon. The growing call for a world anthropology inadvertently imposes an uncritical ventriloquism on Indigenous peoples who are attempting to contribute to the discipline of anthropology from the situated perspectives of diverse Indigenous communities. The UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) provided a catalyzing moment for a global Indigeneity that brings the diverse experiences together for mutual consultation and strategic planning. Indigeneity as a global phenomenon also creates the potential for the discipline of anthropology to shed its colonial roots and consider the prospects for a vibrant anthropology that truly reflects a shared human experience and does not privilege one knowledge over another.


2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 67-82
Author(s):  
Hasrat Arjjumend

The Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) provides for the rights of Indigenous people and local communities in accordance with United Nations Declaration of Rights of Indigenous People. The Parties are obliged to take legislative, administrative and technical measures to recognize, respect and support/ensure the customary laws & institutions and community protocols of Indigenous peoples and local communities (ILCs). Within the ambit of contemporary debates encompassing Indigenous peoples’ right to self-determination, this paper examines the effectiveness of international law (i.e. Nagoya Protocol) to influence existing or evolving domestic laws, policies or administrative measures of Parties on access and benefit sharing. Through opinion surveys of Indigenous organizations and national authorities of CBD’s Parties, the findings indicate that the space, recognition and respect created in existing or evolving domestic ABS measures for rights of Indigenous communities are too inadequate to effectively implement the statutory provisions related to customary laws & institutions and community protocols, as envisaged in Nagoya Protocol. As the bio-cultural rights of Indigenous people are key to conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, the domestic ABS laws need reorientation to be sufficiently effective in translating the spirit of international ABS laws into domestic policies.


2007 ◽  
Vol 36 (S1) ◽  
pp. 38-44
Author(s):  
Priscilla Settee ◽  
Shelley Thomas-Prokop

AbstractThis paper describes the process of engaging the extended Indigenous community within Saskatoon and the surrounding First Nations communities in what would be a first major research project between Indigenous communities and the University of Saskatchewan. A management committee was established comprised of all the major Saskatoon/Saskatchewan Indigenous organisations, such as the Federation of Saskatchewan Indians, Saskatoon Tribal Council, First Nations University of Canada and other community-based groups to ensure that research reflected First Nations and Metis needs. The project called “Bridges and Foundations” awarded some 35 projects close to two million dollars in research funds. The money was awarded through graduate student research bursaries, and community-based projects which highlighted the needs of Indigenous women, youth, students, elders and urban populations. The three research themes included respectful protocol, knowledge creation, and policy development. The research projects, which were largely Indigenous designed and driven, created one of the most extensive research collections over a period of four years and included major data collection on community-based research, Indigenous peoples and Indigenous knowledge systems and protocols. The paper relates the development of the project and speaks about the need for Indigenous peoples to lead their own research as well as the benefits of collaboration. It also highlights several of the research projects including a conference on Indigenous knowledge (2004), a video project describing the community mobilisation process behind Quint Urban Housing Co-operatives,


Author(s):  
Mass Tapfuma

The chapter discusses the ethical considerations that have to be observed in the preservation of indigenous knowledge following observations that there is no documented evidence of efforts in Zimbabwe to protect indigenous knowledge from unethical practices by researchers and companies as they tap and use the knowledge. The chapter brings to fore the importance of ethics with regards to research aimed at tapping and preserving indigenous knowledge systems before the knowledge becomes extinct. Therefore, a review of literature was done in order to provide a conceptual overview of the importance of ethics, and measures that can be taken in the preservation of indigenous knowledge are also explored. The chapter recommends that policies promoting ethical practices in the preservation of indigenous knowledge systems of the indigenous communities, be put in place as a measure against theft of innovations and knowledge and the filing of bad patents.


Author(s):  
Elena F. GLADUN ◽  
Gennady F. DETTER ◽  
Olga V. ZAKHAROVA ◽  
Sergei M. ZUEV ◽  
Lyubov G. VOZELOVA

Developing democracy institutions and citizen participation in state affairs, the world community focuses on postcolonial studies, which allow us to identify new perspectives, set new priorities in various areas, in law and public administration among others. In Arctic countries, postcolonial discourse has an impact on the methodology of research related to indigenous issues, and this makes possible to understand specific picture of the world and ideas about what is happening in the world. Moreover, the traditions of Russian state and governance are specific and interaction between indigenous peoples and public authorities should be studied with a special research methodology which would reflect the peculiarities of domestic public law and aimed at solving legal issue and enrich public policy. The objective of the paper is to present a new integrated methodology that includes a system of philosophical, anthropological, socio-psychological methods, as well as methods of comparative analysis and scenario development methods to involve peripheral communities into decision-making process of planning the socio-economic development in one of Russia’s Arctic regions — the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District and to justify and further legislatively consolidate the optimal forms of interaction between public authorities and indigenous communities of the North. In 2020, the Arctic Research Center conducted a sociological survey in the Shuryshkararea of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District, which seems to limit existing approaches to identifying public opinion about prospects for developing villages and organizing life of their residents. Our proposed methodology for taking into account the views of indigenous peoples can help to overcome the identified limitations.


2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (Especial) ◽  
pp. 105
Author(s):  
Dante Choque-Caseres

In Latin America, based on the recognition of Indigenous Peoples, the identification of gaps or disparities between the Indigenous and non-Indigenous population has emerged as a new research interest. To this end, capturing Indigenous identity is key to conducting certain analyses. However, the social contexts where the identity of Indigenous persons are (re)produced has been significantly altered. These changes are generated by the assimilation or integration of Indigenous communities into dominant national cultures. Within this context, limitations emerge in the use of this category, since Indigenous identity has a political and legal component related to the needs of the government. Therefore, critical thought on the use of Indigenous identity is necessary in an epistemological and methodological approach to research. This article argues that research about Indigenous Peoples should evaluate how Indigenous identity is included, for it is socially co-produced through the interaction of the State and its institutions. Thus, it would not necessarily constitute an explicative variable. By analyzing the discourse about Aymara Indigenous communities that has emerged in the northern border of Chile, this paper seeks to expose the logic used to define identity. Therefore, I conclude that the process of self-identification arises in supposed Indigenous people, built and/or reinforced by institutions, which should be reviewed from a decolonizing perspective and included in comparative research.


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