Exploring the Science of Vhavenda Traditional Architectural Design and Building Technology

Before now, historiographies and archival accounts of African innovations have often been told from mainly a Western and Eurocentric perspective. This chapter aims to expand this argument. It does this through a philosophical appraisal of the trajectory of progression in the traditional architectural designs and building technologies in the pre-colonial Vhavenda communities. This means exploring the scientific bases behind the progression of the different shapes and forms of the architectural designs and the building technology in the traditional Vhavenda communities. What counts is not whether these progressions have followed a Eurocentric notion of science, but rather unearthing the local rationale within which they are justified, and are hence ought to be regarded as “science.” Following these objectives, two questions are very important: (1) What are the major changes in the traditional Vhavenda architectural designs and building infrastructures? (2) How are these changes justified within the Vhavenda indigenous knowledge system?

Pharmacognostical Profile of Gymnema sylvestre and its Anti-Hyperglycemic Activity

In this paper explored the pharmacognostical profile of gymnema sylvestre and its anti-hyperglycemic activity has been documented well with references. The importance of the species in Ayurveda has been highlighted. The bioactive components like gymnema sylvestre has a variety of secondary metabolites, including oleanane, gymnemic acid, gymnemasides (A-F), gymnemic acid (IXVIII) homologue, gymnemic acid A1 and its derivatives, triterpenoidsaponin, al has been clearly includedin the review kaloid (Conduritol-A), polypeptide (Gurmarin), and gymnemasaponins. This study has provided the groundwork for developing a pharmacognostical profile of medicinal plant growers and collectors. The goal of this review study is to provide a regional profile of the indigenous knowledge system for medicinal plant usage and cultural behaviors related to healing. This study aids in the identification of novel ethnomedicinal plant species in the study region, which may lead to the development of new medicines. The plant toxicity test results indicated that it may be used as an alternative to diabetes therapy with no or little adverse effects. This study confirms the conventional use of indigenous plant-derived natural medicine for treating diabetes mellitus. The study also highlighted the efficacy of "Ayurveda" which is an ancient tradition, used in some parts of India. This ancient concept should be carefully evaluated in the light of modern medical science and can be utilized partially if found suitable. I hope that this kind of research will be useful to future researchers as per their needs.

Ubuntu: A countermeasure for challenges of child-rearing

The research examines the contributions of the African Indigenous Knowledge System and, more precisely, the African traditional philosophy of community or Ubuntu as a countermeasure against the challenges of child-rearing in a changing society. The research contends that Ubuntu has a sagacity from which the world can learn lessons to combat the challenges of child-rearing in a changing society. Challenges named above are mainly due to society becoming more modernized, and individualistic thereby neglecting African ways of child rearing. This is the case with urbanization whereby many people move to urban places for economic prospects. Another challenge is that of family decay worldwide, where there’s an increase in a number of single parenting due to a number of factors. Some of those factors are due to the high divorce rate, the death of a partner etc. The author argues that Ubuntu can contribute to offering helpful solutions to the challenges under study. The research utilises the secondary research or desk research methodology. The results show that Ubuntu is a likely good countermeasure against the myriad of challenges in child-rearing worldwide. The research concludes that the utilisation of this African philosophy may be extremely valuable in contributing supportively to the many challenges of childrearing faced by people worldwide.

Akan Indigenous Knowledge Systems and the Christian Faith in Ghana: A Review of the Major Works of Robert Rattray

The Western missionaries’ attitude towards Asante indigenous belief systems created the impression that Christianity was unable to live side by side with Asante indigenous knowledge systems. The missionaries ended up creating tension between the Christian faith and the pre-missionary cultural values. The indigenous knowledge systems that informed the world views of the people were not considered an integral part of the available resources for the shaping of the Asante Christian worldview. The Salem communities, for example, were set up to facilitate the disconnection of the new converts from their cultural past. This study is about the available pre-missionary Asante indigenous knowledge systems that Robert Sutherland Rattray after thorough studies published and made available to facilitate all aspects of the Asante life especially interpretation and transmission of the Christian faith. With a critical examination of the various major works of Robert Rattray and observation of Asante cultural and Christian activities, the study identified some specific areas that the Asante indigenous knowledge systems have lived side by side with the Christian faith. The study concludes with a call for respect, pride and intentional exploration into the indigenous knowledge systems to serve the Asante and other Akan Christian needs. Keywords: Robert Sutherland Rattray, Indigenous Knowledge System, Christian Faith, Asante, Cultural Values.

A framework for digital preservation of Indigenous knowledge system (IKS) in repositories in South Africa

Purpose The purpose of this study is to assess the digital preservation policies and plans for long-term digital preservation in selected repositories in South Africa, with a view to develop a digital preservation framework for the preservation of Indigenous knowledge system (IKS) in South Africa. Design/methodology/approach Through the multiple case study research design, data was obtained from eight respondents in four Indigenous Knowledge Systems Documentation Centers (IKSDCs) in institutions that are part of the National Recordal Systems (NRS) initiative across four provinces in South Africa using in-depth face-to-face interviews. Data collected was also supplemented with the content analysis of several policy documents in South Africa. Findings The findings reveal that there are no digital preservation policies in place in the institutions, especially long-term digital preservation for IKS. However, some of the institutions are formulating policies that will include the management of IKS collected in the institutions. This study also reveals that digital curation, policy formulation and disaster preparedness plans to some extent are measures said to be in place for the digital preservation of IKS. Research limitations/implications This study focuses mainly on the NRS initiative in South Africa. Indigenous Knowledge (IK) related to traditional medicine, traditional plants and food are currently being digitized at the IKSDCs by IK recorders. This study will help in ensuring that the South African Government’s effort and investment in digitizing IKS and making them accessible online is not wasted. This study will help mitigate the risk of damage and alteration over time, either deliberately or in error. Originality/value This study fills a gap in the literature on the digitization and digital preservation of IKS from the context of the NRS project in South Africa. Very few studies have been carried out on the digital preservation of IKS in Africa. This study also proposed a framework for the digital preservation of IKS in South Africa.

Nigerian polyherbal-based hydrotherapy: a panacea to infectious diseases

Summary A global society, including developed countries, continues to struggle with fatal diseases that are difficult to treat with Western medicine. A variety of infectious diseases have existed for ages, but in Africa they had been limited thanks to the Indigenous Knowledge System (IKS) prior to the introduction of cosmopolitan medicine. Influenza virus repression has been demonstrated by a number of herbal antivirals, yet the invaluable therapeutic potential of herbal medicine has been underestimated. Despite various reliable methods offered by Western medicine, the globally destructive COVID-19 pandemic requires a successful fight. The wisdom of African IKS used in tackling epidemics that have broken out in the past is brought to mind again. Pneumonia – a COVID-19 symptom, could be treated with polyherbal fomentation. Selected plants cultivated across Nigeria for hydrotherapy are under consideration to be used in proper doses. Given the potential associated with IKS, a multi-disciplinary approach involving experts in phytomedicine, ethnobotany, phytochemistry, plant physiology and ecology is necessary to unlock the therapeutic potential of traditional medicine.