Local

Knowledge,
Global Goals
 This publication is a reflection on
indigenous and local knowledge systems, and
their interactions with science and policy,
today and in the future.

As the world changes increasingly rapidly,

we explore the ways that indigenous and
local knowledge contributes to understanding,
mitigating and adapting to climate change,
environmental degradation and biodiversity loss.

UNESCO’s Local and Indigenous Knowledge

Systems Programme (LINKS), established in
2002, is grateful to Denmark, France (ANR,
CNRS and MNHN), Japan, Norway, Sweden,
IPBES, the Christensen Fund and UNU for their
support during the past 15 years.

This publication is supported by the Japanese

Funds-In-Trust for UNESCO (JFIT) and the Swedish
International Development Agency (SIDA).

With the support of

From
the People
of Japan

3
 Contents
SECTION I SECTION 2
Indigenous Diversity of
knowledge today knowledge
Strong roots for
the Sustainable From words to
8 Development Goals 18 worldviews

Gender & knowledge

Local and indigenous Complementary
10 knowledge: timeline 20 ways of knowing

Revitalising knowledge Dynamism of

12 across generations 22 ‘traditional’ knowledge

Adaptive knowledge for

14 Safeguarding 24 variability and change

SECTION 3 SECTION 4
Knowledge for Indigenous
sustainability knowledge
and science
Community-based
assessments of global Overcoming
28 climate changes 38 opposing worldviews

Vulnerability Towards
and resilience trandisciplinary
30 in a world of change 40 understandings

Synergies
Monitoring between scientific &
32 biodiversity loss 42 indigenous knowledge

Co-managing species Co-producing

34 and spaces 44 knowledge

4
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6
 SECTION I

Indigenous
knowledge today

7
 Strong roots
for the Sustainable
Development Goals
Local and indigenous WHO ARE INDIGENOUS
knowledge refers to the PEOPLES?
understandings, skills and Indigenous peoples are diverse.
philosophies developed by societies A formal definition has not been
with long histories of interaction adopted at the international level.
with their natural surroundings. Instead, a number of criteria
For rural and indigenous peoples, have been established to identify
local knowledge informs decision- indigenous peoples.
making about fundamental aspects
of day-to-day life. This knowledge These include:
is integral to a cultural complex • Self-identification as ‘indigenous’
that also encompasses language, by individuals and acceptance
systems of classification, resource by the community as one of their
use practices, social interactions, members;
rituals and spirituality. These unique • Historical continuity with pre-
ways of knowing are important colonial and/or pre-settler societies;
components of the world’s cultural • Strong links to territories and
diversity, and contribute to the surrounding natural resources;
achievement of Agenda 2030 and • Distinct social, economic or
the Paris Agreement. political systems;
• Distinct language, culture and
beliefs;
• Form non-dominant groups of
society;
and
• Resolve to sustain environments
and systems as distinctive peoples
and communities.

8
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 Local and
indigenous
knowledge
A timeline

1992 1993 1999

Agenda 21, the main The Convention on World Conference of
document of the 1992 Biological Diversity Science: ‘traditional and
Earth Summit in Rio (CBD) enters into force. local knowledge systems
de Janeiro: indigenous Article 8j refers to the … make and historically
peoples have a vital role respect, preservation, and have made a valuable
to play in environmental maintenance of knowledge, contribution to science and
management and innovations and practices technology… there is a
development because of of indigenous and local need to preserve, protect,
their traditional knowledge peoples. research and promote
and practices. this cultural heritage and
empirical knowledge’.

2012 2012 2014

The Future We Want The Intergovernmental The Fifth Assessment
outcome document: Science-Policy Platform Report of the
traditional knowledge makes on Biodiversity and Intergovernmental
an important contribution Ecosystem Services Panel on Climate
to the conservation (IPBES) is established. Change: ‘indigenous,
and sustainable use of Operational principles local, and traditional
biodiversity. Indigenous include: ‘recognise and knowledge systems and
peoples and local respect the contribution practices... are a major
communities are often of indigenous and resource for adapting to
directly dependent on local knowledge climate change... Integrating
biodiversity and ecosystems to the conservation this knowledge with existing
and thus are the most and sustainable use practices increases the
immediately affected by their of biodiversity and effectiveness of adaptation‘.
loss and degradation. ecosystems’.

10
2000 2002 2007
The World Intellectual UN Declaration on the
Property Organization
UNESCO Rights of Indigenous
establishes the launches the Local Peoples (article 31):
Intergovernmental indigenous peoples have the
Committee on Intellectual
and Indigenous right to maintain, control,
Property and Genetic Knowledge protect and develop their
traditional knowledge.
Resources, Traditional
Knowledge and Folklore
Systems
to work towards an programme
international instrument
that would ensure effective
(LINKS).
protection of traditional
knowledge.

2015 2015 2016

Addis Ababa Action Article 7.5 of the The Scientific Advisory
Agenda of the Paris Agreement Board of the UN
Third International acknowledges that Secretary General
Conference on adaptation action should ‘be releases a policy brief on
Financing for based on and guided by the the links between indigenous
Development: traditional best available science and, and local knowledge and
knowledge supports social as appropriate, traditional sustainable development.
well-being and sustainable knowledge, knowledge of
livelihoods. Indigenous indigenous peoples and
peoples have the right to local knowledge systems’.
maintain, control, protect
and develop their cultural
heritage and traditional
knowledge.

11
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 Revitalising
knowledge across generations
Education programmes are important to the erosion of cultural diversity and social
for human development, but they cohesion, and heighten the alienation and
may also compromise the transmission of disorientation of indigenous youth.
indigenous knowledge.
There is an urgent need to enhance the
With formal education, children learn intergenerational transmission of indigenous
passively in classroom settings, rather than knowledge, alongside and within formal
engaging in hands-on learning on the land. education. Efforts are being made to bring
Teachers replace parents and elders as the indigenous language and knowledge into
holders of knowledge and figures of authority. school curricula, as well as to move learning
National languages are the medium of back into the community, thus reaffirming
instruction instead of vernacular languages. the status of elder men and women as
Formal education may therefore contribute knowledge holders.

ON THE KUUJJUAQ LINKS SUPPORTED THE INDIGENOUS

RIVER, Arctic Quebec, MAYANGNA COMMUNITIES PEOPLES of the Pacific
Canada, a young Inuk boy in the BOSAWAS Biosphere developed a vast body of
learns to skin and butcher Reserve, Nicaragua, to bring knowledge about the ocean
a caribou by carefully their indigenous language and and wayfaring. They navigated
observing his father’s knowledge of biodiversity into the ocean guided by stars,
methodical sequence classrooms. These Mayangna winds, waves and the behavior
of actions. Learning by curriculum materials reinforced the of birds, fish and whales.
experience is often crucial meaningfulness and relevance of LINKS developed The Canoe
for the transmission of school for Mayangna youth and Is the People learners’ resource
indigenous knowledge. built community self-esteem. pack, a website and curriculum
in English and Maori, to build
awareness and pride among
Pacific youth about this unique
intellectual heritage.

© Douglas Nakashima - © Menuka Scetbon-Didi - © Francis R Hickey 13

 Safeguarding
Indigenous knowledge has often Even within a community, access to
been exploited for profit without knowledge may differ. Some types of
consultation with communities. Many knowledge, especially those considered
communities are calling for the protection sacred, may be restricted to certain
of their knowledge from inappropriate use, individuals and families who fulfil particular
emphasising the need for free, prior and roles in the community (e.g. shamans
informed consent and benefit sharing. or midwives). There is also knowledge
that the community may want to keep for
Existing intellectual property regimes are themselves (e.g. locations of sacred groves
ill-adapted to indigenous knowledge. More and preferred harvesting areas). It is
appropriate methods are being developed, important to understand the different types
such as sui generis systems based upon of knowledge, and both the individual’s
customary law. and community’s right to control access.

INUIT MARK ROUTES SACRED Q’IPIS (textile IN 2008 A BIDAYUH-

and sites with piles of bundles) guide leaders KROKONG village in
stones called inukshuk, of the Coroma people of Sarawak, Malaysia held Gawae
which often have a human- the Bolivian Altiplano in Pinganga, an almost-forgotten
like form. This image managing their relations ritual, to ask the Pinyanga (spirit
has been commercially with nature, including the guardians) for a dry season so
exploited, and as a result prevention of crop failure that burning of the land could
many Inuit want the and natural disasters. be performed. Such sacred
inukshuk to be recognised Through the UNESCO knowledge is held by the
as their collective Cultural Property ‘sighted ones’ of the community
intellectual property. Convention, stolen and is guarded closely.
Existing legal frameworks bundles were returned to
make this difficult. the communities.

14 © City Escapes Nature Photo / Shutterstock.com - © P. Saxa - © Jennifer Rubis

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 SECTION 2

Diversity of
knowledge

17
 From

words to
worldviews
Indigenous peoples’ languages Arctic peoples is a classic example. Their
constitute the vast majority of elaborate and highly-specialised lexicons
the world’s linguistic diversity. (terms) and taxonomies (ways to classify)
Languages are a reflection of a people’s constitute high-resolution conceptual
worldview. The things that a society frameworks for observing the environment
chooses to name reveal the nature of its and noting subtle transitions and trends.
engagement with the world around it.
Elaborate vocabularies are constructed Today’s rapid erosion of linguistic
around topics of particular ecological, diversity is doubly devastating. The
economic and socio-cultural importance. disappearance of a language is
accompanied by the loss of a unique
The multitude of terms for snow and system of knowing and comprehending
ice developed by Inuit, Sami and other the natural world.

INUIT IN CANADA BAHIMA PASTORALISTS in A YANOMAMÏ BOY

possess over 100 Uganda call the season of heavy rains in Upper Orinoco,
terms for sea ice and nyakatumura – ‘rain that removes food Venezuela, looks for
associated phenomenon, from one’s mouth’ because evening honey. Yanomamï have
illustrating the refinement rain interferes with the milking of cattle. names for 50 types of
and subtlety with which Scattered rains during a long dry period bees that provide honey
they perceive and are ibunzya Bahima – ‘rain that makes for food or medicine. They
interact with their local Bahima wander, following the rains’. have terms for different
ice environment. Many types of hives (at the top
terms are bundled with or base of trees, inside
crucial information about tree trunks or fallen logs)
hazardous conditions and each requiring different
potential dangers. gathering techniques.

18 © Douglas Nakashima - © Radek Borovka - © Marie-Claude Mattei Müller

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 Gender &
knowledge
Complementary ways of knowing
Although men and women share Differences between women and men, for
knowledge, they also hold distinct example with respect to resource access
knowledge sets relating to differing and and decision-making, can create patterns
complementary roles in society and in food of gender-specific vulnerability in the
harvesting and production. Women have face of social, environmental or climate
their own areas of expertise and their own change. Gender-specific vulnerabilities
modes of knowledge transmission. Their and knowledge need to be considered in
knowledge is vital for sustaining community adaptation planning.
livelihoods, values and well-being.

MAASAI WOMEN FISHING PROVIDES the main AN INUIT WOMAN

IN AFRICA compose source of protein for the Mayangna TAKES part in a seal hunt
songs and sing them to of the BOSAWAS Biosphere Reserve on the Kuujjuaq River,
their cows while they in Nicaragua. Women do much Ungava Bay, Canada.
milk. When, in spite of the fishing in summer, primarily Seal hunting is almost
of the songs, the cows using handheld lines and fishhooks. exclusively a male activity
produce less and less Men fish primarily in winter, using for Inuit. Women assume the
milk, the women know other techniques, such as bow and important role of processing
that pasture quality is arrow or mask and spear fishing. meat and skins, and
diminishing and that it is making sealskin clothing.
time to move the herds Consequently, they have
to a new location. detailed knowledge about
seal health.

© Abdelrahman Hassanein / Shutterstock.com - © Menuka Scetbon-Didi - © Douglas Nakashima 21

 Dynamism
of ‘traditional’ knowledge
Local and indigenous The adoption of modern technologies
knowledge is frequently by indigenous peoples is often
represented as a fixed body of misinterpreted as the abandonment of
wisdom that is passed down intact their distinct values and ways of life.
from generation to generation. Terms In reality, the capacity to incorporate
such as ‘tradition’ and ‘heritage’ new tools and skills has always
evoke constancy, immutability and been fundamental to the dynamism
inflexibility. In reality, local knowledge of indigenous cultures. Indeed, it is
has always been reassessed, renewed by blending new ways with old that
and expanded. Each generation many indigenous communities are
reinterprets the knowledge of their able to uphold their unique lifestyles
forebears to confront the emerging and worldviews.
challenges and opportunities of a
changing world.

A FISHERMAN THROWS INUIT IN ARCTIC MEN FROM MAROVO Lagoon,

a nylon cast net in the CANADA were quick to Solomon Islands, prepare to return
sandy shallows in Vanuatu. adopt modern technologies home from fishing on the barrier reef.
Resource depletion is to strengthen their hunting, Their canoe is carved from a huge
often wrongly attributed to fishing and trapping golothi tree, and is powered by a
technological change. Entry way of life. Motorised community-owned outboard motor.
into a market economy may transport allowed them to Such motors support subsistence
be the more decisive factor, regain access to distant fishing activities and are now
encouraging individuals to hunting territories that ubiquitous in the Western Solomons.
forsake community values were abandoned when
and sustainability for Inuit settled into permanent
individual profit. villages in the 1960s.

22 © Francis R Hickey - © Douglas Nakashima - © Edvard Hviding

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 Adaptive
knowledge
for variability and change
The knowledge of indigenous peoples In this sense, indigenous knowledge bears
is not a static body of ‘traditional‘ information. a resemblance to science. Science defines
Indigenous peoples have always been itself by the scientific method and not as a
confronted with environmental variability, fixed body of data, as this would inevitably
unpredictability and change. Their knowledge become outdated. While acknowledging the
is thus a dynamic system that is collectively wisdom of their elders, indigenous knowledge
and continuously re-visited, re-shaped and holders emphasise the central role of their
shared across a web of social actors. It own learnings and experiences. In this
maintains its adaptive capacity and vitality. manner, successive generations adapt and
transform their understandings in the face of
environmental variability and change.

THAILAND’S MOKEN ACROSS THE ARCTIC, CANADIAN FIRST

people gained international Inuit storytelling is a critical NATIONS have been
attention when they dimension of cultural adaptation observing impacts from
predicted and escaped the to climate change. Stories help industrial development for
tsunami waves that swept link environmental changes many decades. Impacts include
away their villages in 2004. in the past to what Inuit are increasingly large packs of
Knowledge of the laboon, experiencing today, allowing wolves using pipeline cut lines
or ‘seventh wave’, had been them to maintain connections and forestry roads to hunt
passed down for thousands to animals and their lands moose and caribou. Aided by
of years. This knowledge and helping with adaptation these ‘highways’ through the
gave them enough time to strategies. forest, the packs can devastate
evacuate to high land. ungulate herds.

© Narumon Hinshiranan - © Teodor Lazarev / Shutterstock.com - © David Dirga 25

26
 SECTION 3

Knowledge for
sustainability

27
 Community-
based
assessments
of global climate changes
Observation and interpretation of and with considerable temporal depth.
meteorological phenomena have They also highlight elements of significance
guided the activities of local communities to local livelihoods that are not considered
for millennia. Planting and harvesting, by scientists. The Intergovernmental Panel on
transhumance or herd migration, and the Climate Change (IPCC) in the Summary for
timing and locations of hunting, fishing Policymakers of its Fifth Assessment Report
or gathering are dependent on detailed (2014) concluded that: ‘indigenous, local,
understandings of weather and climate. and traditional knowledge systems and
practices, including indigenous peoples’
Indigenous knowledge contributes to climate holistic view of community and environment,
science by offering observations and are a major resource for adapting to
interpretations at a much finer spatial scale climate change’.

IN CANADA’S BOREAL MONGOLIAN PASTORALISTS DAGU, dubbed the ‘internet of the

forests, indigenous hunters report degradation of pastures since Afar’, is a traditional information
report that parasitic ticks 1999 due to changes in rain quality exchange network among Afar
are flourishing due to warm and distribution. They observe an pastoralists in Ethiopia. Individuals
winters. This is having increase in torgnii hee boroo or who cross paths are obliged
increasingly negative impacts ‘silk embroidery rains’ which create socially to openly share information
on moose populations. patches of green pasture dotted on what they have seen on their
Moose become weaker due across an arid landscape (like silk travels: condition of pastures,
to tick infestations, and more embroidery on a coat). Scientific data, abundance of water, extent of
vulnerable to other pressures which measure annual means over rainfall, numbers of livestock. It
including habitat loss and large territories, show no significant is a holistic indigenous climate
predation. change for the same area and period. observing system.

28 © Paxson Woelber CC BY-SA 4.0 - © Pete Niesen / Shutterstock.com - - © Kristian Buus / Stars Foundation
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 Vulnerability
and resilience
in a world of change
Indigenous peoples and marginalised showing great resourcefulness. Adaptation
populations are particularly exposed is rooted in local knowledge, social systems,
and sensitive to climate change impacts and cultural values and attitudes. Strategies
due to their resource-based livelihoods and include maintaining genetic and species
homelands in marginal environments. Small diversity in crops and herds, mobility,
population size, isolation, and the absence diversified use of landscapes, and livelihoods
of recognised rights over resources contribute based on use of multiple resources. Traditional
to their vulnerability to economic, social and systems of governance and social networks
environmental impacts that are exacerbated reinforce the ability to respond collectively to
by climate change. change and build resilience.

Despite their high exposure and sensitivity,

indigenous peoples and local communities
are actively responding to climate change,

IN INDONESIAN IN BOLIVIA, the maintenance of IN THE NICARAGUAN

BORNEO, a typical Dayak diverse traditional crop varieties CARIBBEAN, increase in
village makes use of natural reduces risks from climate variability the strength and frequency
forest, managed forests, and pests. At the heart of their of storms has resulted in loss
rotating swidden/fallow resilience are the age-old ‘paths of of forest areas and coastal
and permanent fields. This seeds’, whereby grains and plants flooding. Indigenous peoples
multiple land-use system, are transported and exchanged have responded in part by
with a mix of personal and among neighbouring communities revitalising traditional social
communal ownership, is and across altitudinal gradients. arrangements and practices,
a livelihood strategy, a including increased reliance on
biodiversity conservatory and traditional foods and medicines
a source of resilience in the under the reinforced leadership
face of climate change. of community elders.

© Jennifer Rubis - © Gustavo Ramírez / Shutterstock.com - © Svetlana Bykova / Shutterstock.com 31

 Monitoring
biodiversity loss
Indigenous peoples are often As many indigenous peoples live in
well positioned to observe and remote areas, they are often better
understand local ecosystems. Many placed than scientists to provide detailed
live in areas that have high biodiversity information on local biodiversity. By
values. Their ways of life and knowledge working with many communities over a
systems depend on close interactions wide area, a picture of biodiversity trends
with nature, and observations of the over whole regions can be achieved. The
animals and plants on which they rely. Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity
As knowledge is garnered throughout a and Ecosystem Services (IPBES)
lifetime, and enhanced by oral history recognises the importance of including
passed down through generations, indigenous and local knowledge in its
indigenous peoples often also have assessments of biodiversity.
knowledge of changes in biodiversity over
many decades or even centuries.

CALLED AKPIK by Inuit BIODIVERSITY A LOCAL KNOWLEDGE

and luopmanat by Sami, the ASSESSMENTS require assessment of changes in
cloudberry (Rubis chamaemorus) inputs from both science and biodiversity over a 50-year
is highly-prized by indigenous indigenous knowledge, as period was carried out within
peoples throughout the Arctic. acknowledged today by the the iqoliqoli (fishing grounds)
The Arctic Climate Impact new Intergovernmental Platform of Vanua Navakavu in the Fiji
Assessment (ACIA, 2005) on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Islands. Local vernacular names
included indigenous knowledge Services (IPBES). IPBES is for over 1,000 species were
about declines in cloudberries, also working to establish a recorded and the recovery
as well as changes in volume mechanism to enhance the status of almost 900 species
and diversity of grasses and participation of indigenous and was assessed.
shrubs. At the time, ACIA was local knowledge holders.
a frontrunner in incorporating
indigenous knowledge
alongside science.

32 © Public Domain - © CEphoto CC BY-SA 3.0 - © Nick Hobgood CC BY-SA 3.0

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 Co-managing
species and spaces
Indigenous homelands and co-management regimes benefit from
territories harbour the greater in-depth indigenous knowledge about
part of the world’s biodiversity. natural resources that complements
Local communities manage natural scientific understandings. When
resources through their own customary indigenous peoples are full partners in
institutions and in some cases, enhance the development and implementation of
biodiversity by transforming landscapes. management plans, they become crucial
actors in research, monitoring and
Today it is increasingly recognised that awareness-raising.
the conservation of threatened species or
protected areas requires the development
of partnerships with indigenous peoples
and local communities. State-indigenous

IN THAILAND, the Karen VICUÑA RECOVERED from TSÁ TUÉ BIOSPHERE

people worked hard to 10,000 animals to over 400,000 in RESERVE in Canada is home
prove that their system of 45 years, partly through community- to the Sahtuto’ine. It is the first
rotational farming in forests based management. Communities (and only) biosphere reserve
is sustainable and supports harvest vicuña fibre through catch in Canada to be created at
biodiversity. Large tracts of and release systems that follow the the request of its indigenous
forest that were destroyed Inca chaku tradition, where large population. The Sahtuto’ine
by commercial logging have numbers of community members herd are leading the development
now been regenerated by the vicuñas by holding colourful flags. of the area’s management plan,
Karen, supporting both their in cooperation with a range of
livelihoods and biodiversity. agencies and organizations.

© Francesca Aguirre-Wong - © Christian Vinces / Shutterstock.com - © UNESCO / Patrick Kane 35

36
 SECTION 4

Indigenous knowledge
and science

37
 Overcoming
opposing worldviews
Western conservation philosophies Furthermore, Western science traces its
separate humans from nature. This has origins to an opposition of the rational
led to the widely-held notion that people and the spiritual. Indigenous thought,
must be excluded if environments are to however, makes no such distinction,
be preserved. In indigenous worldviews, nor does it value the rational above the
however, such a division is unacceptable spiritual. Instead, they flow together and
as ecosystems and social systems are intermingle. For this reason, efforts to extract
intertwined. Landscapes are rendered indigenous knowledge from its cultural
meaningless if the interdependent and spiritual foundations often result in its
relationship between social systems and misinterpretation, misrepresentation and
ecosystems is severed, as they shape and fragmentation.
sustain each other.

THE EXCLUSION of A TABU LEAF indicator FOR INUIT, hunting is part of

indigenous peoples from at Lamen Bay, north Epi, their spiritual relationship with
many of Africa’s national Vanuatu, signifies that an animals, marked by ceremony and
parks disrupted socio- area is closed to fishing respect. If hunting stops, this severs
ecological systems that due to the death of a clan the relationship and the animals
co-evolved over centuries. member. Across the Pacific, will be offended and disappear.
The notion that people a wide range of cultural This contrasts with western ideas
need to be excluded in practices are instrumental that banning hunting will lead to
order for nature to be in regulating renewable increases in animal numbers.
conserved is rooted in resource use and access,
the Western ideology of integrating social and
‘wilderness’. Biologists environmental cues.
still adhere to the
wilderness ideal despite
its religious origins.

38 © Jennifer Rubis - © Francis R Hickey - © Douglas Nakashima

39
40
 Towards
trandisciplinary understandings
Western science separates knowledgeable about the welfare of their
knowledge into many disciplines livestock, the soils that make good pasture,
and most scientists are highly specialised the rains that trigger growth, and prices in
in narrow domains. This reductionist the marketplace.
approach, whereby scientists know more
about less, is science’s greatest strength So when scientific and indigenous
and its major weakness. While science knowledge experts come together to address
makes advances within specific domains, complex problems such as biodiversity loss
complex interdisciplinary problems remain a or climate change adaptation, scientists from
perpetual challenge. several disciplines in the natural and social
sciences need to be at the table.
Indigenous knowledge holders, however,
have no such barriers. They possess
expertise that extends across bio-
physical and social domains. Herders are

NOMADIC FULANI FOR CENTURIES, indigenous Andean TONGAN FARMERS use

pastoralists in the Sahel region farmers have successfully forecasted their own traditional calendar
of Chad observe and interpret the nature of the forthcoming rainy to decide when to plant and
a web of interlinked changes season by observing the Pleiades star harvest. Today, weather
in winds, clouds, temperature cluster. An anthropologist, meteorologist phenomena have shifted
and flowering plants to predict and climatologist worked together to in relation to the traditional
the timing and location of understand that the farmers base their calendar, so they have had
rains. This helps them to plan forecast on the appearance of the to adapt their planning
when and where to move with Pleiades, which varies in accordance and activities. This detailed
their herds, and even when to with the degree of cloud in the knowledge of local-level
slaughter for market. troposphere. This marker of El Niño change and adaptation is
conditions affects rain over the Andes invaluable for understanding
several months later. climate change impacts and
policy responses.

© Jennifer Rubis - © Roman Mikhailiuk - © Tomas Pavelka 41

 Synergies
between scientific &
indigenous knowledge
Scientists often attempt to validate roots and assuming it can pass judgement
indigenous and local knowledge, over others hinders collaboration that could
as a prerequisite for accepting it. The occur with indigenous knowledge systems.
frequently encountered desire to ‘integrate‘
indigenous knowledge into science also Other modalities of working with
presupposes that this knowledge should indigenous knowledge may be more
be analysed and validated using western appropriate and effective, including the co-
scientific criteria and methods. production of knowledge, which recognises
that both knowledge forms are legitimate
Yet scientific and indigenous knowledge within their contexts.
each have their own culture-specific systems
of logic. Ignoring science’s own cultural

ABORIGINAL PEOPLES FOR ANDEAN INDIGENOUS IN 2017, SCIENTISTS

in Australia use fire peoples, the arrival of rains, the discovered a ‘new’ rodent
to create landscape success of the harvest, and the in the Solomon Islands – a
mosaics that conserve well-being of society are intimately giant rat. This was not
and enhance biodiversity. connected to human respect for both news, however, for the
Today traditional ‘firestick the material and spiritual dimensions of indigenous people of Marovo
management’ has been the world. In their view, climate change Lagoon. They had already
adopted as the primary tool results from a lack of appropriate documented their knowledge
for managing protected respect for the spiritual forces that about vika, as they call it,
areas, such as the Uluru- influence weather and climate. It is several times, including in
Kata Tjuta and Kakadu therefore necessary to re-establish a the LINKS publication ‘Reef
World Heritage Sites, and respectful relationship through rituals. and Rainforest’, where they
for reducing greenhouse Acknowledging such indigenous noted its large size and diet of
gas emissions in return for worldviews is a prerequisite for coconuts. Science has moved
carbon credits. collaboration with scientists. from skepticism to agreement.

42 © Sam Johnston - © Joerg Steber / Shutterstock.com - © Velizar Simeonovski, The Field Museum
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 Co-producing
knowledge
There is great potential for By virtue of their differences in temporal
indigenous and local knowledge to and spatial scale, qualitative vs. quantitative
contribute further to global challenges of nature, or holistic vs. specialised character,
climate change, environmental degradation they are largely complementary.
and biodiversity loss in order to achieve
goals such as sustainability and resilience. Where indigenous knowledge and science
can work together to address a jointly
The vastness and complexity of today’s defined problem, each bringing their own
challenges require the mobilisation of the expertise to the table, their co-produced
best available knowledge for decision- knowledge may lead to novel solutions.
making. Indigenous knowledge holders and For this to happen, building dialogues that
scientists contribute different understandings. ensure mutual respect is crucial.

TROUBLED by the destructive IN UGANDA, the Karamojong IN SIBERIA, Nenets reindeer

impact of commercial hold akiriket, a sacred assembly herders have collaborated with
logging on reindeer pastures, attended by adult men and women. NASA to study rain-on-snow
Sami herders in northern Here, elders share information, pass events. These events can lock
Sweden have engaged with on knowledge, and collectively plan winter pastures under ice, and
forestry scientists to initiate use of pastures. Crucial climate entire reindeer herds may be
unprecedented research. observations and understandings threatened with starvation as
Pooling their distinct sets of can be gained by respecting this they are unable to dig through
knowledge and experience, revered institution and working with ice layers. NASA provided
herders and scientists are its membership. satellite imagery, while herders
working to identify the provided observations of
conditions required for optimal weather and pasture conditions
restoration of lichen pastures. and their impacts on the herds.

© V.Belov / Shutterstock.com - © Ismael Ocen - © Bjørn Christian Tørrissen 45

 This publication should be cited as:
UNESCO. 2017. Local Knowledge, Global Goals. UNESCO: Paris, 48 pp.

Scientific editors
Douglas Nakashima, Jennifer Rubis and Peter Bates,
Local and Indigenous Knowledge Systems (LINKS) programme

Publication coordinator
Bárbara Ávila

Design and layout

Del Hambre www.delhambre.com

With support from

Sunday Fadina, Veronica González González, Julia Cheftel

Cover images and illustrations

© Del Hambre

Published in 2017 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO), 7 Place de Fontenoy, 75007, Paris, France
© UNESCO 2017 All rights reserved

The designations employed and the presentation of material throughout this publication do not imply the expression
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