"Traditional Ecological Knowledge"
"Indigenous knowledge"
biodiversity
endangered languages
food sovereignty
Indigenous-led Conservation
Intellectual Property
knowledge sovereignty
land management
Boolean Operators. Gif. Kent University. Accessed March 12, 2022. https://www.library.kent.edu/images/boolean.gif
FAO/ Min Kwen. Qanat-based Saffron Farming System in Gonabad, Iran. Digital Image. Flickr. August 19 2020. Accessed March 18, 2022. https://www.flickr.com/photos/giahs/50244441366/in/album-72157715548991593/
Academic databases are a great source for finding peer-reviewed articles on core concepts and case studies of TEK. The databases listed under the "Academic Databases" tab below require a subscription for access.
Internet searches are also quite useful here, because they can lead you to Indigenous-led organizations and resources you cannot typically find on academic databases
Launched in 2005, the iPortal is an Indigenous studies research tool. This database comprises of full-text articles, e-books, oral histories, and theses, as well as blogs and podcasts. To find information, students can do a traditional search via the search bar, or they can click on the section of the turtle shell for specific topics.
Click on the turtle to go to the website.
Here are some scholarly articles that address basic concepts in reconciling TEK and Western Science and some contemporary issues in TEK:
Willie Ermine, in his influential article, terms the space created by two opposing worldviews “the ethical space” and suggests that this space can be used to develop a framework for communication between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. This concept is frequently discussed in tandem with reconciling TEK and scientific ecological knowledge (SEK). This article can easily be accessed with an internet search for “ethical space”, or through the provided link.
In this article Nicolas Houde describes what he calls, “the six faces of Traditional Ecological Knowledge”. These “faces” include facets of TEK that Westerners may fail to consider when developing co-management systems with Indigenous peoples. He goes on to point out certain obstacles that may arise from an imbalanced understanding of TEK, in addition to the ecological benefits that can come from the successful integration of Western methods and TEK. A student trying to better understand the concept of ethical space may find this useful. This article is available through the GreenFILE Database on the Tommaney Library website. Try using the search terms “Traditional Ecological Knowledge” AND “natural resource management.”
This article illustrates the link between language and TEK. Bascompte and Cámara-Leret’s research analysis determined that in North and South America, “…most medicinal knowledge is linked to threatened languages” (Website, Paragraph 4). In addition, even neighboring Indigenous tribes may have knowledge of a medicinal plant that the other does not. This article is relevant to the topic of TEK and language preservation. A student can find this article through an internet search on “Traditional Ecological Knowledge” and “endangered languages.”
This article discusses the challenges in applying IP law, which was developed with a western worldview, to Traditional Knowledge. Some Indigenous criticisms include the commodification of culture, and the individualization of collective traditional knowledge. Still there are benefits, like preventing the exploitation of TEK and retaining intellectual control of its applications. A student can access this journal through the HINU Tommaney Library website by searching the Academic Complete database for “Traditional Knowledge” AND “intellectual property.”
Stringer, David. “When Grasshopper Means Lightning: How Ecological Knowledge is Encoded in Endangered Languages. Langscape Magazine 5, no. 1 (2016). https://terralingua.org/langscape_articles/when-grasshopper-means-lightning-how-ecological-knowledge-is-encoded-in-endangered-languages/.
Traditional Ecological Knowledge is traditionally transmitted orally through stories and songs, but this article examines how TEK is even embedded in the words of an Indigenous languages. By virtue of its name, a plant or insect can communicate its relation to a season, to its behavior, or to its cultural use. Thus, when an Indigenous language falls into disuse, the knowledge carried with it is also in danger. This is a good resource for students who wish to learn more about the link between language and TEK. One can find this article through an internet search for “Traditional Ecological Knowledge” and “endangered languages.”
Image above: Kayapó women in the Amazon rainforest. Photo: Cristina Mittermeier, 2007
Indigenous-led Conservation Reading List
This continuously updated bibliography features a range of sources related to Indigenous-led conservation. The sources, most of which are academic journals, are arranged by topic and hyperlinked. TEK plays a large role in Indigenous-led ecological restoration efforts. Having a deep understanding of the history and interdependency of the land, its people, and its resources can help guide land and water management decisions. Students interested in finding both Indigenous-led and collaborative management case studies may find this resource useful. Many of these of these sources are open access, but some may require subscription to certain databases. This bibliography is accessible through the link above.