Open AccessConnecting the world through local Indigenous Knowledge
Author(s) -
Margaret Sraku-Lartey
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
information services and use
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1875-8789
pISSN - 0167-5265
DOI - 10.3233/isu-210115
Subject(s) - custodians , traditional knowledge , indigenous , aside , value (mathematics) , action (physics) , public relations , environmental ethics , sociology , political science , geography , ecology , computer science , biology , art , philosophy , physics , literature , archaeology , quantum mechanics , machine learning
This paper focuses upon the importance and value of local Indigenous Knowledge and how it is being threatened in today’s modern world rather than being leveraged to catalyze development. The author specifically calls out three types of Indigenous Knowledge: (1) medicinal knowledge related to human health, i.e., herbal medicine; (2) sacred groves – geographic areas set aside to preserve plants and animals and that can help to mitigate the impact of climate change; and (3) living libraries – communities of people who are also holders of cultural wisdom and history and who are custodians of all knowledge relating to the history of their own community. The author makes a call to action, requesting that scientists, librarians, publishers, and others in the information community collaborate and move forward together to save and build upon global Indigenous Knowledge.