By: Yildiz Subuk, Staff Writer

The incorporation of Indigenous knowledge has been widely disregarded in western sciences. Due to racism and colonialism, Indigenous knowledge is often reduced to something that cannot fit within the frameworks of western pedagogy. Eurocentric education, which dominates Canadian education, often labels itself as “progressive” while constructing Indigenous knowledge as purely traditional, and unable to progress by the western standard. This construction of Indigenous knowledge has to do with the deeply-held colonial beliefs which construct Indigenous people as “primitive,” because their cultures and traditions differ from western ideals. Despite this reductive perspective, the intelligence compiled by Indigenous communities and scholars has proven to be invaluable — especially as society plunges an increasingly unsustainable path. 

Decentering western science

Western science is often deemed “objective” to establish its dominance, but its research approach isn’t free from bias. While it strives for objectivity, the nature and approach of research are shaped by the biases of the researchers involved, making the truth more of a construct than an absolute. Ally Greenhalgh, in their article Medicine and Misogyny: The Misdiagnosis of Women, states that misogyny in western medical practices is a common example of how biases have shaped western science. Historically, medical practices have often been developed with males as the default, as female anatomy was merely viewed as “incomplete males.” This led to the exclusion of women from medical research, resulting in misdiagnoses, as diagnostic criteria were based on male physiology. While these outdated practices have been widely challenged, their consequences persist, affecting medical treatments and diagnosis. Examples like this one undermine the claim that scientific knowledge is purely objective.

Vanessa Van Bewer, assistant professor of the College of Nursing for the University of Manitoba, wrote The importance and promise of integrating Indigenous perspectives in nursing education. Van Bewer showcases how Indigenous knowledge in nursing professions is a great example of how the patriarchal mold in healthcare can be broken. The holistic approach views sickness through the interconnectedness of “body, mind, and spirit.” Rather than isolating and focusing only on physiology, this approach ensures all three aspects of a person’s well-being are considered. The relationality approach, another example, has to do with shifting the power dynamic between caregivers and those receiving care. Rather than having caregivers solely dictating treatment, with this approach there’s mutual respect between the two parties, ensuring patients have agency over their medical needs. As a result, nurses who take a relational approach are aware of the unique needs and experiences of their patient, and are deliberate in their treatment. 

The power of storytelling

In True Reconciliation, Jody Wilson-Raybould, author and former BC parliament member, describes her understanding of Indigenous practices as rooted in storytelling. She writes, “One example of how we reveal our understanding of the truth can be found in our creation stories.” The use of stories, songs, and ceremonies isn’t purely traditional but educational, too. Storytelling is engaging and emotionally evocative, extending far beyond entertainment — by creating a human connection with the subject, storytelling contextualizes education. Stories present us with principles and illustrate their importance to our everyday practices. 

In Braiding Sweetgrass, author and botanist Robin Wall Kimmerer uses Indigenous storytelling to teach the reader about the importance of ecological sustainability. Throughout each chapter, Kimmerer highlights the different value certain components of nature — plants, crops, and fruits — bring to humanity.

The intelligence compiled by Indigenous communities and scholars has proven to be invaluable — especially as society plunges an increasingly unsustainable path.

Kimmerer opens her book with the story of Skywoman Falling, where a woman falls from a place known as Skyworld, into Turtle Island. She is aided by animals such as an otter, beaver, and sturgeon. With their help and by connecting with nature, Skywoman is able to flourish in her new land. This creation story highlights the importance of viewing nature as interconnected with humans. Kimmerer then recalls a day when she asked her ecology class to imagine the relationship between humans and nature, to which many responded negatively. Then, she questions how we can move toward “ecological and cultural sustainability if we cannot imagine what the path feels like?” 

In western society, people are often positioned higher than plants, creating a hierarchy system instead of understanding the importance of interconnectedness. A common belief among Indigenous communities is that trees communicate. This concept was often dismissed as a baseless or purely spiritual belief, because, from a western scientific perspective, trees do not have the same biological framework as humans. However, as Kimmerer points out, trees do communicate with one another, just in different ways from humans. Trees can communicate through pheromones, which can provide different forms of information, like signifying distress when they are under attack from harmful insect species. Through what is known as a mycorrhizal network, trees are interconnected by threads of fungi. This network allows trees to communicate by exchanging signalling molecules and even sharing nutrients. Suzanne Simard, professor of Forest Ecology at UBC, published her thesis in 1997, which is considered to be the groundbreaking research that uncovered how trees communicate with one another — yet Indigenous knowledge had long recognized this concept before its validation by western science.

How we view governments

Another component in which Indigenous knowledge is crucial has to do with governance. Going back to concepts from True Reconciliation, Wilson-Raybould highlights how governance from the Indigenous perspective has to do with adopting a “communal model.” This means the top priority in governance is for the community council to reach a collective agreement. There are no attacks on politics, or campaigning — just a model of governance that focuses on discussion and common consensus. She writes, “We do not evaluate ideas on partisanship,” ensuring politics doesn’t become a competitive game. On the other hand, the western model of democracy focuses on electing leaders to represent a certain population, and these leaders run against one another. In our current cultural climate, divisive partisan politics — which has voters committing to a party’s ideology, and oftentimes forming a negative view of the opposing party — has been the foundation of government within Turtle Island (North America). Partisanship leaves populations divided and often works against the interest of the majority. The Indigenous model of governance stands out as it focuses primarily on avoiding division, serving as an antidote to the fallacy of western democracy.

The contemporary need 

Scientists are recognizing the transformative nature of Indigenous knowledge. Through storytelling, an understanding of sustainability principles, and a deep connection to the land, Indigenous knowledge offers an antidote to western pedagogy and a solution to global sustainability issues. Indigenous culture as a whole prohibits any forms of environmental degradation. For example, səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) communities employ ethical fishing practices, using sex selection when fishing to “ensure the longevity of fish stocks.” This differs from the practices of the Canadian fishing industry, which uses fish farms for selective breedings, which is a “risky” technique as it releases “parasites and toxic chemicals.”

In a world where unsustainable practices focus on value extraction, Indigenous knowledge becomes crucial in reshaping the way we think about how values are created. The incorporation of Indigenous knowledge into educational systems, on a larger scale is the rational approach to encourage people to think about how our understanding of the connection to the land is key to sustainability.