Filipino Indigenous knowledge and the connection of science and technology

 What does Indigenous knowledge Means?That's a big question because there are approximately 370 million indigenous people in the world, belonging to 5,000 different groups,in 90 countries worldwide. Indigenous people live in every region of the world. At this point,there isn't a hard and fast definition accepted and recognized by all,it can mean different things to different societie and cultures.

But let's focus on indigenous science and technology in the Philippines. Filipinos,especially during the early times,tried to invent tools that will help them in every life. They also developed alternative ideas in explaining the world around them. This system of knowledge,which is the foundation of indigenous science. Local and Indigenous knowledge refers to the understandings, skills and philosophies developed by societies with long histories of interaction with their natural surroundings. For rural and indigenous peoples.local knowledge informs decision making about fundamental aspects of day-to-day life.

There are various indigenous Filipino ethnic groups and tribes in the Philippines such as:

                                       

Indigenous knowledge System and practices are local knowledge developed over centuries of experimentation by our ancestors and are passed orally from generation to generation. It was proven to be a perfect scaffold to sustainable development connecting the past, the present and the future. However, these knowledge, system and practices are at escalating rate of deterioration due to consistent assimilation that resulted from the continuing loss of interest of these practices from young people. 

Some examples of indigenous knowledge that are taught and practiced by the indigenous people are:

*Using herbal medicine 

*Preserving foods

*Preserving and selecting good seeds for planting

*Producing wine and juices from tropical fruits

*Using indigenous technology in daily lives and 

*Keeping the custom of growing plants and vegetable in the yard

Local and indigenous knowledge refers to the understandings,skills and philosophies developed by societies with long histories of interaction with their natural surroundings. For rural and indigenous peoples, local knowledge informs decision making about fundamental aspects of day-to-day life.

This knowledge in integral to a culture complex that also encompasses language, systems of classification, resource use practices, social interactions, ritual and spirituality. 

These unique ways of knowing are important facets of the world's cultural diversity, and provide a foundation for locally-appropriate sustainable development .

Indigenous knowledge has become the accepted term to include the beliefs and understandings of non-western people acquired through long term association with place. It is knowledge based on social, physical and spiritual understandings which have informed the peoples survival and contributed to their sense being in the world. This knowledge is in integral to a cultural complex that also encompasses language,systems of classification, resource use practices, social interactions ,ritual and spirituality.

Scientists generally distinguish between scientific knowledge and Indigenous knowledge by claiming science is universal whereas Indigenous Knowledge relates only to particular people and their understanding of the world.

There are occassions when science takes on board some aspect of Indigenous knowledge but only when it meets the criteria of western science. Generally however, Indigenous knowledge does not fit the criteria for science and therefore is classed as a different kind of knowledge. 

Another approach is that science and Indigenous knowledge represent two different views of the world around us. Science focuses on the component parts whereas Indigenous knowledge presents information about the world in a holistic way. With this analysis it is possible to see how one system can complement the other. Finally it is important remember that in today's world there is no isolated system of knowledge and that the knowledge systems of all people are constantly changing in response to new knowledge.