Indigenous Knowledge Systems

A knowledge system refers to the way in which a person understands the observed and imagined world. Sociologists and other scholars have distinguished between Indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) and the modern scientific knowledge system (MSKS). IKS broadly refers to intuitive and intellectual perspectives unique to a local culture. Other terms used for a similar purpose include traditional knowledge, ecological knowledge, folk knowledge, or people's science. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) uses the term local and Indigenous knowledge systems (LINKS) and links their expertise and insights with ecological sustainability.

Though IKS are often discussed in contrast with MSKS, often referred to as Western science, these different approaches to understanding the natural and philosophical world are not mutually...