I am a little bit ashamed to admit that I have known nothing about the concept of indigenous knowledge. My family follows several traditions, and I know a lot of the orders and prejudices the society I live in has to follow. Besides, I like reading about the traditions of different countries. Still, I have never faced this particular concept. At the same time, it can be regarded as a positive aspect because now I have a chance to study it thoroughly and consider my experience and knowledge to realize the true worth of this concept. The researchers admit that indigenous knowledge is closely linked with culture (Merriam, Caffarella, & Baumgartner, 2007).
It is the way of how different societies can share their ideas and traditions. The concept of indigenous knowledge helps to raise the facts about the nature of a person’s existence, consciousness, and the possibilities of the future (McGovern, 2013). People should understand that indigenous knowledge cannot be neglected or forgotten because it helps to realize how precious and even priceless human experience can be.
There are many reasons why people should ensure that indigenous knowledge is shared widely and properly (Cairns, 2010). For example, some people cannot understand the intentions of other people to participate in different competitions and win. However, in some cultures, it is a kind of obligatory task to become the best in something. It is not enough to participate, it more important to become the best. Such a story was told by the resident of the University of Manitoba Centre, Ignatius Mabasa. He told about the great hunter, who gave his life trying to prove that he was the best hunter in his society and the whole world (University of Manitoba, 2010).
The story does not only describe the event of someone’s life. It teaches that sometimes, it is better to stay with something already obtained instead of trying to achieve something unnecessary. People can be easily blinded by their desire to prove something and neglect the threats around them.
Regarding the worth of such stories, it is possible to admit that indigenous knowledge is not only cultural knowledge. It is a possibility to learn from human mistakes and avoid them to achieve a better future. Indigenous knowledge has a great impact on any community because it provides an opportunity to observe and make conclusions that do matter in the world. Even a short Mabasa’s story contains several lessons. It teaches about the traditions and the threats of human ambitions. I think, if people pay more attention to indigenous knowledge available to them, they can achieve much more in their lives.
My personal experience and a chance to communicate with people, who have different cultures, help me to consider some lessons and share them with other people. The concept of indigenous knowledge is crucial in all spheres of life because it is knowledge of any country can and should possess. It helps to understand the skills and insights of people. It influences the solutions people can make to improve their lives. Now, I realize that indigenous knowledge is a kind of basis for self-sufficiency as it helps to understand true and even hidden emotions and intentions.
In general, indigenous knowledge is the past that can never be neglected. Not all people are happy to understand the true worth of this concept and share it with people. If history is usually determined by the facts of the past, then indigenous knowledge should be the way of how these facts, experiences, and societies should be understood.
References
Cairns, M. (2010). Voices from the forest: Integrating indigenous knowledge into sustainable upland farming. New York, NY: Routledge.
McGovern, S. (2013). Education, modern development, and indigenous knowledge: An analysis of academic knowledge production. New York, NY: Routledge.
Merriam, S.B., Caffarella, R.S., & Baumgartner, L.S. (2007). Learning in adulthood: A comprehensive guide. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
University of Manitoba. (2010). Ignatius Mabasa tells the story of the great hunter . Web.