Research Guides: Research with Indigenous Communities: Knowledge Systems

Indigenous Knowledge Systems

The phase Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) refers to the shared social, cultural, and scientific ways of knowing held and practiced by Indigenous communities (University of Minnesota, 2023).

Page contents:

Resource Highlight

Charter for Research with Indigenous Knowledge Holders
This is an Australian resource created by the Indigenous Knowledge Institute at the University of Melbourne. The resource provides a list of five principles for conducting research with Indigenous Peoples, which will be broadly informative to researchers internationally. The principles relate to sharing, confidentiality, and knowledge practices and each includes a short list of practical guidelines for acting on each principle.

Indigenous-led Initiatives & Resources

Indigenous Knowledge and Western Science by Dr. Gregory Cajete
Dr. Gregory Cajete, a Tewa Indian from New Mexico, shares a talk on Native Science. Dr Cajete's work as an educator, biologist, and Native Studies scholar informs his talk. The talk was originally presented as part of the Banff Centre's Indigenous Knowledge and Western Science event in September 2014.
Braids of Truth
In this series of three videos from Salish Kootenai College, Indigenous Elders and forest scientists discuss land management practices and the importance of incorporating traditional knowledge. The first video focuses on fire and forest management, the second on climate change, and the third on government collaborations with Indigenous Peoples for improved ecological management. The series was created by the Northern Rockies Fire Science Network, and it is a bit dated (2014) but still relevant.
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Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOcHi9RMgMM
Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYrFz_4pTa4
Part 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCfpWiUyuio
The Case to Recognise Indigenous Knowledge as Science
This TEDxSydney talk from 2019 is in part a request for the scientific community to acknowledge that Indigenous knowledge is in fact science. Albert Wiggan, a Bardi-Kija-Nyul Nyul man from Dampier peninsula in Western Australia, begins the talk with his own positionality as an Indigenous person in the fabric of Australia.
Guarding Against Exploitation: Protecting Indigenous Knowledge in the Age of Climate Change (SSRN)
This SSRN paper is a good primer on the value of traditional knowledge for climate change research, but it also details the intellectual and cultural property issues associated with adapting and using traditional knowledge in scientific practice.
Traditional Ecological Knowledge: Integrating Western Science into Indigenous Knowledge Processes
This is an hour long talk from Steve DeRoy, Indigenous director of the Firelight Group, for the Ecological Society of America's Traditional Ecological Knowledge section. DeRoy's expertise includes mapping, GIS, and natural resources development. The 2021 webinar includes ways of integrating Western science into Indigenous knowledge processes, including the importance of maps, engagement, and discussion on Indigenous Knowledge.

General Resources

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management Traditional Knowledge
From the Department of the Interiors’ Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), this page describes the basics of traditional knowledge as it relates to BOEM. As a general resource, this page may not have broad applicability, but it does outline the decision-making process that the BOEM developed related to traditional knowledge, which may be informative to researchers.
Documenting Traditional Knowledge - A Toolkit
This 2017 toolkit from the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) provides guidance for researchers who are documenting traditional knowledge through their work.
Environmental Justice for Tribes and Indigenous Peoples
This policy document from a Federal Advisory Committee to the Environmental Protection Agency provides helpful context related to government policy and considerations around Indigenous Knowledge as it relates to advancing environmental justice. Included are recommendation for implementation of the policy and the integration of Traditional Ecological Knowledge into EPA policies to better represent Tribal goals and issues.
Indigenous Knowledge
The White House Office of Science and Technology share their commitment to Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge (ITEK) and strengthening the relationship between the Federal Government and Tribal Nations.
Indigenous Knowledge and Traditional Ecological Knowledge
An overview of Indigenous Knowledge (IK) Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) from the National Park Service. Includes a description of benefits of TEK, key issues, and a list of reading recommendations to learn more.
Northern Rockies Fire Science Network
The Northern Rockies Fire Science Network provides resources and networks for scientists and fire managers in the Rocky Mountains. Their network contains more than a dozen federal, state, local, tribal, and private stakeholders. Among their numerous resources are links to openly available current and archived podcasts, videos, webinars, briefings, and more within the topic of Fire & Traditional Knowledge. In addition, there is a lengthy database of research publications, nearly 100 of them directly related to Fire & Traditional Knowledge.
Our Knowledge, Our Way Guidelines
This is a resource from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), Australia's National Science Agency, and thus focuses on Indigenous Australians. The resources and FAQ are transferable to international contexts. The focus on the collection of resources is on Indigenous Knowledge related to land and sea management.
Traditional Ecological Knowledge (Wikipedia)
This well-resourced Wikipedia page provides a definition of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and explains relevant aspects of the concept as it applies to culture, ethics, ecological management, and climate change. It also includes examples of TEK within three different tribes.
Traditional Ecological Knowledge Fact Sheet
From the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, this fact sheet on Traditional Ecological Knowledge outlines key competencies for scientists about Indigenous scientific knowledge about biology, ecology, and the environment.
Traditional Knowledge, Innovations and Practices - Article 8(j)
Article 8(j) focuses on the preservation of traditional knowledge and practices as it relates to biodiversity. This project is part of an international treaty that was drafted and signed in the early 1990’s for the protection and sustainability of biodiversity. The United States has not signed onto this treaty. Article 8(j) specifically relates to the protections of Indigenous traditional knowledge. The website details the many outcomes from Article 8(j) and ongoing initiatives and deliverables of the Convention on Biological Diversity.