Indigenous epistemologies have historically been marginalized, framed as “traditional knowledge” rather than equally valid systems. Prejudiced scholarship often appropriates or compartmentalizes Indigenous knowledge, ignoring its relational and land-based context.
- De-colonial Definition: Indigenous epistemologies are holistic, relational, and land-based systems of knowledge that are foundational to Indigenous worldviews. They challenge Western dualism, asserting a continuous interaction between the material and spiritual world, humans, and non-human entities.
Reference: Smith, L. T. (2012). Decolonizing Methodologies: Research and Indigenous Peoples. Zed Books.
- Prejudiced Definition: Indigenous epistemologies are often defined as alternative ways of knowing and understanding the world, based on the beliefs and practices of Indigenous peoples, often treated as local or peripheral to dominant knowledge systems.
Reference: Battiste, M. (2002). Indigenous Knowledge and Pedagogy in First Nations Education: A Literature Review with Recommendations. Indian and Northern Affairs Canada.
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