Indigenous wisdom and science gaugau tavana

“Indigenous Epistemology and Scientific Discovery”

N. Gaugau Tavana, Ph.D. Brigham

Young University (801) 422-

1635 tavana@byu.edu

Elon University

March 17, 2014

Language Acquisition: Knowledge that Empowers

Indigenous Epistemology

Traditional behaviors are shaped by indigenous epistemologies or traditional way of thinking, creating, and conveying

knowledge.

Indigenous epistemologies are alive and well and are also relevant and useful to

the societies to whom they belong

Cultural Values

Cultures and Languages is a storehouse of Indigenous Wisdom (IW)

Loss of biological resources is a threat to the survival of IW, cultures and languages

IW is key to scientific discoveries and basic to understanding of the natural world

IW can be restored through local, national and international collaborative efforts

Educational programs greatly help with this work

Early Polynesian Settlements

1. Cultures and Languages: A Storehouse of Indigenous Wisdom

Faiva o le tai (fishing and gathering in the ocean

Faiva o le vao (hunting and gathering on land

T R O P I C ST R O P I C S

Languages & cultures provide understanding of biosphere on which we

depend for survival

Indigenous epistemology is acquired through daily experimentation and

practice

Cultures transmit indigenous wisdom

Culture of Culture of voyaging voyaging

10

Explicit Knowledge

Knowledge that is easy to communicate “know what” (facts); “know why” (science);

“know who” (networking)

Tacit Knowledge

Knowledge that is hard to access, provides context, highly valuable,

and is not easily shared

Codification

Process of transforming tacit knowledge into explicit knowledge through training and direct

experience

Codification

Will Indigenous Will Indigenous Wisdom Survive the Wisdom Survive the

2121stst Century? Century?

2. Loss of biodiversity means loss of languages and cultures

Weaving ma’ilo (food plate)

Cocos nucifera

Making taufolo Artocarpus altilis

Taupou’s dress Pandanus tectorius

A threat to Indigenous Wisdom

And deeper understanding of the natural world…

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

1900 2000

• Languages contain explicit information

• Languages are disappearing

Indigenous Language LossIndigenous Language Loss

0

20

40

60

80

100

Spoken only by elderly

people

Children

20%

80%

Remaining indigenous languagesRemaining indigenous languages

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

N. American Languages

280

20

Spoken only by elderly people

Children

3. Indigenous epistemology is key to modern scientific discoveries

ethnomedicineethnotaxonomy

21

“If a man plants 10 (breadfruit) trees in his life

he would completely fulfill his duty to his own as well as

future generations.”

Sir Joseph Banks 1796

“If a man plants 10 (breadfruit) trees in his life

he would completely fulfill his duty to his own as well as

future generations.”

Sir Joseph Banks 1796

“What’s in a name?

That which we call a rose

By any other name

Would smell as sweet.”(Romeo & Juliet, Act ii, Scene 1)

The Convergence of Indigenous & Scientific Taxonomy

The Convergence of Indigenous & Scientific Taxonomy

How Are Plants Named?Prior to Linnaeus, there

was great confusion about how to name plants.

Organisms were usually grouped by common

characteristics.

Sometimes unrelated organisms with superficial

resemblances were grouped together.

Nomenclature of Breadfruit Cultivars in Samoa

Nomenclature of Breadfruit Cultivars in Samoa

Invented by Linnaeus in response to

cumbersome 18th century

systems

First used in Flora Lapponica

Expounded in Species Plantarum & used to

organize Uppsala garden

Nomenclature of Breadfruit Cultivars in Samoa

Nomenclature of Breadfruit Cultivars in Samoa

• Binomial nomenclature consists of two names: Artocarpus altilis Genus species

• International Code of Botanical Nomenclature

• Used by scientists throughout the world.

The Convergence of Indigenous & Scientific Taxonomy - Results

The Convergence of Indigenous & Scientific Taxonomy - Results

• 46 different varieties named• Binomials & monomials used:

Binomial:‘Ulu ma’a

Generic term specific modifier

Monomial:Ø maopo

Generic term specific (understood) modifier

Rank Order – Frequency of MentionRank Order – Frequency of Mention

Name Rank Percent Type Translation

ma'afala 1 90 UM

puou 2 81 UM

aveloloa 3 68 UM

maopo 4 62 UM

ulu ea 5 56 AB “Uvea island”

ulu ma’a 6 55 AB “solid”

ulu manu'a 7 37 AB “Manu’a ”

momolega 8 33 UM

ulu sina 9 22 AB “white”

sagosago 10 17 UM

Expert wisdom is disappearing fastExpert wisdom is disappearing fast

Mean # names: 6.3 Expert mean # names:11.5

0

5

10

15

20

2530

35

40

45

50

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21

# reported names

# re

spo

nd

en

ts

common knowledge

expert knowledge

Two knowledge realms found: common and expert

“Masi”

Preservation of Culturally

Important Food

Nutritional analyses to identify nutrient-rich varieties.

Molecular studies to help identify clones.

In vitro propagation.

Product development, e.g., flour.

Base-line inventories of distribution and use of breadfruit in Africa.

In vitro Regeneration and Mass Propagation

TotipotencyTotipotency

1

2

3

In vitro propagationIn vitro propagation

In Vitro Germplasm Conservation

3-6 months

2-3 months

2 months

6 weeks2-4 weeks

4-6 Years

Plants, Medicine & Biodiversity

265,000 flowering plant species in the world

85% of world depends on phytotherapy

25% of all prescription drugs derive from plants

<1% of plants have been studied

Wisdom of Plants and Medicine

265,000 flowering plant species in the world

Ethnomedical knowledge developed over years of experimentation

Ethnobotanical Lead Compounds

William Withering 1785

• Reduces dropsy

• Reduces heart rate

Digitalis

Digitalis purpurea (Foxglove)

“I was told…it had long been a kept secret remedy of an old woman in

Shropshire”

Ethnobotanical Lead Compounds

Hypertension

Reserpine

Rauwolfia serpentinaIndian Snake-Root

Apocynaceae

Emil Schlittler

Analyzing Ayurvedic traditional remedies used by people of Indian

Catharanthus roseus Rosy periwinkle

Apocynaceae

Child leukemia

Ethnobotanical Lead Compounds

Hodgkin’s disease

Islands of Madagascar

Ethnobotanical Discovery Ethnobotanical Discovery Future Promise

Anti - viral

Anti – alzheimersAnti –inflammatory

Erythrina Wiliwili

Homalanthus mamala

Cycad Lau pama

Ethnobotanical Discovery Future Promise

Dr. Paul A. Cox discovered ‘Prostratin’ while speaking with a taulasea - Samoan

healer