After being supressed by colonial powers, Indigenous Knowledge is making a comeback. It is being promoted by development organisations and Western governments alike, particularly in the field of environmental stewardship. But to understanding its rebirth it is vital to understand its history, writes Ambe Njoh in the LSE blog.
Traditionally, Africans used oral history to pass knowledge about nature from one generation to the next. Through frequent storytelling, they taught children about their community, its mores, beliefs, and behaviours. They did this during late-evening hours under the moonlight or around fireplaces. The storytellers were usually family elders, who became griots: experts profoundly knowledgeable on African tradition, culture and history.
Read the full article here.
Ambe Njoh is lead author of ‘Challenges to Indigenous Knowledge Incorporation in Basic Environmental Education in Anglophone Cameroon,’ which recently appeared in the Journal of Asian and African Studies.
