<p>All of the work described in this dissertation involves the use of Indigenous research frameworks to design research projects, to facilitate communication with Indigenous communities that I have collaborated with, and also to teach and mentor undergraduate and graduate students. Indigenous research frameworks emphasize the importance of place in relation to the integrity of cultural values espoused by many Indigenous communities. This entails a respect for the spirituality component of Indigenous people because this is often directly tied to relationships between the land, animals, and plants of their local environments.</p> <p>While some research has been conducted to help understand Indigenous people’s understandings of geoscience, less emphasis has been placed on recognizing and leveraging common connections Indigenous students make between their Traditional cultures and Western science. Thus, the research presented in this dissertation identifies connections Indigenous learners make between geology concepts and their everyday lives and cultural traditions in both formal and informal settings. Some of these connections have been integrated into place-based geoscience education modules that were implemented within an introductory environmental science course. </p> <p>Qualitative analysis, using a socioTransformative constructivism theoretical lens, of semi-structured interviews after implementation of a Sharing/Learning program for an Acoma pilot project, implemented informally, and for a series of geoscience education modules at a private university provides evidence that elements reflective of the use of sociotransformative constructivism (e.g. connections between global and localized environmental issues) were acknowledged by the participants as particularly impactful to their experience during implementation of the geoscience-focused activities. In addition to the socioTransformative theoretical perspective, Indigenous research frameworks (i.e. Tribal Critical Race Theory) were used to contextualize the educational interventions for two different Indigenous communities, Acoma Pueblo and the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation. Tribal Critical Race Theory was not used to analyze the semi-structured interviews. Instead the Indigenous research frameworks were used to ensure that the research practices undertaken within these Indigenous communities were respectful of the Indigenous community’s cultural values, that Indigenous data sovereignty was paramount, and so that the research objectives were transparent. In addition, permission to publish the results of this research was sought from the governing entities of both Tribal Councils of Acoma Pueblo and the Yakama Nation.</p> <p>The research presented in this dissertation provides evidence that academic research can be undertaken in respectful ways that benefit Indigenous communities. The connections that participants in the Acoma Sharing/Learning program could potentially be used to create more culturally relevant educational materials for the Acoma Pueblo community, if that is what the governing entities of the Acoma Pueblo community desire. The modules implemented more formally at a private university could potentially, with permission from the governing entities of the Yakama Nation, be integrated into geoscience programs at a broader level creating opportunities for contemporary Indigenous perspectives to be valued alongside Western modern science. Moving forward, this could potentially increase interest among Indigenous community members in pursuing academic pathways within geoscience disciplines.</p> <p>The research pursued in this dissertation is only a beginning. Approaches to research that promote the agency of local communities in the types of research questions asked and how that research is conducted should be a priority for Western scientists to maintain a respectful relationship with the many communities, Indigenous and non-Indigenous, in which they work. It is my intention to be part of this revolution in how academic researchers interact with contemporary Indigenous communities as well as the next generation of scientists. In the future, my research will continue to serve and benefit Indigenous communities, but I will also begin asking research questions that will help increase the use of diverse and equitable practices within academia. In this way, I hope to bridge the two worlds of Indigenous Knowledge systems and Western science with the primary purpose of maintaining respect among these two communities. In the future, my research will focus on how these respectful practices can move beyond academic research and pedagogy into the realms of professional development, mentoring, and community revitalization.</p>

The coastal landscape currently known as British Columbia, Canada represents a complex and rapidly evolving site of collaboration, negotiation, and conflict in environmental management, with important implications for Indigenous community well-being. I ground this work in the understanding that settler-colonialism and its remedies, resurgence and self-determination, are the fundamental determinants of Indigenous health and related inequities. Through a case study of eulachon (Thaleichthys pacificus) in Nuxalk territory, I take interest in systemic mechanisms of dispossession and resurgent practices of (re)connection and knowledge renewal as mediators of the relationship between environmental management and Indigenous health and well-being. This work is based in four years of observation, participation, and leadership in the Nuxalk Sputc (Eulachon) Project, a community-directed process that aimed to document and articulate Nuxalk knowledges about eulachon. Functionally extirpated from the region since 1999, these valued fish provide an example of contested management jurisdiction and resurgent Indigenous environmental practice. As a resurgent research and management process, the Sputc Project re-centered Nuxalk knowledges, voices, priorities, and leadership while advocating Indigenous leadership in environmental management. This case study was conducted within the context of the Sputc Project, aiming to share substantive and methodological learnings gleaned from the project, which served as an ideal focal point for the interrogation of relationships between Indigenous well-being, research methodologies, engagement and representation of Indigenous knowledges, and environmental management. Applying a critical, decolonising, community-engaged approach, this work comprises four papers, each drawing on a particular thread of the knowledge generated through this work. In Paper 1, I seek to establish the connection of eulachon and their management to Nuxalk health and well-being. Detailing three stages of this relationship (abundance, collapse, and renewal), I show how the effects of environmental management, and resulting dispossession or reconnection, are mediated by cultural knowledges, practices, responsibilities, and relationships. Turning to research methodology in Paper 2, I examine how Nuxalk people and knowledges guided the Sputc Project process, interrogating the role of critical, decolonising, and Indigenous theories in the elaboration of Indigenous research methods in environmental management and beyond. In Paper 3, I consider how the Sputc Project respectfully articulated and represented Nuxalk knowledges in order to retain relational accountability and strengthen Nuxalk management authority, while promoting values, practices, and relationships essential to Nuxalk well-being. In Paper 4, I demonstrate how the Sputc Project strengthened Nuxalk management authority from the ground up, detailing the practical management priorities that arose through the project process, including those related to interjurisdictional engagement of Indigenous leadership. I end with a reflection on this work’s implications for decolonising health equity and environmental impact assessment frameworks. Highlighting how Indigenous health and well-being is supported by ancestral knowledges and reconnecting relationships, including those involving people, places, and practices related to environmental management, I emphasize the importance of Indigenous leadership (vs. knowledge integration) in environmental management research and practice. A final section seeks to inform decolonising community-engaged research, sharing limitations and learnings related to appropriate engagement, articulation, and representation of Indigenous knowledges. / Graduate

Thesis (M.Cur.) --University of Limpopo, 2013 / Indigenous knowledge (IK) originated from a particular community within a broader cultural tradition. It is stated that IK is socially transmitted shared knowledge, beliefs, and/or practices that vary systematically across different cultural groups. It is further indicated that IK is a critical determinant of human behaviour and health, and the intergenerational mother in the society. Indigenous forms of communication and organisation are seen as important to family and societal decision-making processes with regard to health related issues like care given to children from birth onwards and curing of childhood illness. The operational plan for Comprehensive HIV and AIDS Care, Management and Treatment (CCMT) South Africa points out that some South African citizens prefer to consult traditional health practitioners (THPs) on a regular basis for their health problems. The study conducted by Peltzer, Phaswana-Mafuya and Treger (2009) points out that THPs use indigenous practices to prevent and heal childhood illnesses. The aim of the study: To determine indigenous practices by mothers of children admitted in the paediatric unit of a Polokwane/Mankweng hospital complex in the Limpopo Province. The objectives of this study: To explore and describe the indigenous practices of mothers of children admitted in a paediatric unit of a Polokwane/Mankweng hospital complex, Limpopo Province, and to recommend guiding principles based on the study findings for healthcare professionals on the strategies that can be used to assist mothers of children admitted in a paediatric unit of a Polokwane/Mankweng hospital complex of the Limpopo Province. Design and Method: A qualitative, descriptive and explorative research design was conducted for the participants to describe the indigenous practices in relation to managing and treating childhood illnesses. Data were collected by means of unstructured one-on-one interviews at the Mankweng/ Polokwane hospital complex with mothers of children admitted at the paediatric unit. Criteria for trustworthiness were observed as stipulated in Babbie and Mouton (2009). Ethical standards by DENOSA (1998) were adhered to in order to ensure the quality of the study. Findings: Three themes with sub-themes emerged from the data analysis, using Tech’s open coding approach (Cresswell 2009:186), i.e. analogous indigenous practices in curing childhood illnesses, believes related to the indigenous healing process and THP treating of HIV infected children. It is recommended that healthcare providers need to have understanding of indigenous belief systems in relation to healthcare, and work towards incorporating this understanding into their service delivery to recognise and to embark upon the journey of working with THPs.

Thesis (M.CUR.) --University of Limpopo, 2014 / Indigenous practices (IPs) are experiences generated by people who are living in a specific region context and a specific cultured group. IPs are shaped by cultural traits that are passed from one generation to the next. The practices are rooted and embedded in such a society and, therefore, the practices become part of the people’s lifestyle. It is difficult to try and change these practices, since people have adhered to them throughout their entire lives. The believe system plays a major role in health care seeking behaviour of individuals because they are informed by the IPs that are observed in their environment (Shaik & Hatcher, 2005). IPs are stored in people’s memories and are expressed in songs, dances, beliefs, rituals, cultural values, myths, and healing of diseases by using herbs. During pregnancy, IPs are still applied worldwide. Ayaz and Efe (2008) indicate that it occurs mostly in Turkey and Africa where women’s reassurance is depending on the local context and meaning of pregnancy. THE PURPOSE OF THE STUDY To determine indigenous practices of pregnant women at the Dilokong Hospital in the Greater Tubatse Municipality of the Limpopo Province.This was achieved by the exploring and describing the indigenous practices of pregnant women in the antenatal (ANC) clinic of the maternity ward at the Dilokong Hospital.. DESIGN AND METHOD A qualitative, descriptive, explorative and contextual research design was used for the participants to describe the indigenous practices by pregnant women. Data was collected by means of unstructured one-on-one interviews in maternity unit of the ANC clinic at the Dilokong Hospital of the Greater Tubatse Municipality. Ethical considerations as described by Denosa (2000) were adhered to in order to ensure the v quality of the study. The criteria for trustworthiness were observed as stipulated in Babbie and Mouton (2009).Fifteen pregnant women were interviewed. FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Four themes with sub-themes emerged from the data analysis by using Tech’ṡ open coding approach (Creswell 2006, Botma, Greef, Mulaudzi & Wright, 2010). Four themes were emerged namely; indigenous practices based on ancestral knowledge; indigenous practices based on spiritual diviners versus church principles; restricted practices versus instructions followed during pregnancy and labour and indigenous practices during labour and delivery. It is recommended that a national IP strategy needs to be developed to provide a framework and platform to support and promote grass roots IPs into mainstream development in the health care system in relation to midwifery practice. CONCLUSION The study findings indicated that IPs were regarded as an honourable health intervention by THPs, families, and pregnant women. They showed trust in methods used to preserve pregnancy, labour, and delivery, although, the indigenous practices by pregnant women still continue. Indigenous practices such as cords around their waists, are still observed during physical examinations. However, there is a reduction of prescribed potions mixed with cool drinks for use to accelerate labour and to prevent negative consequences because the potential toxicity has been explained during the provision of health education. These findings call for health care professionals to emphasise training and workshops for the THPs church diviners that are the fundamental principle of effective implementation of IPs to enhance improvement in the prevention of complications during pregnancy, labour and delivery. KEYWORDS Pregnant women Indigenous practice Indigenous knowledge

>Magister Scientiae - MSc / This study sought to identify the bottlenecks in the promotion of Zimbabwean Traditional Medicines (ZTMs) towards improving the national healthcare delivery system. The indigenous medicines lost value and recognition to the Conventional Western Medicines introduced by the British colonialist since 1871 and is still dominating the national healthcare delivery system. There are growing challenges to ensure accessibility of affordable drugs especially for primary healthcare. The World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations (UN) is in support of re-engaging indigenous medical interventions to achieve the Millennium development goals. Indigenous Traditional Medicine Knowledge-Based Systems (ITMKS) form the basis of the main source of health care for about 80% of the population in the developing countries. The implementation of the Zimbabwe Traditional Medicines Policy (ZTMP) has been at a stand-still since inception in 2007. The research used mixed methods involving qualitative and quantitative approaches. Data was collected through desk and field research. Questionnaires and focus group discussions were used to record perceptions and attitudes of key informants. The stakeholders included Traditional Health Practitioners (THPs), Medical Doctors, Pharmacists, Medical Research Council of Zimbabwe (MRCZ) staff, Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ), Traditional Medical Practitioner’s Council (TMPC), Zimbabwe National Traditional Healers Association (Zinatha), Ministry of Health and Childcare, WHO, Higher Education Institutions (UZ School of Pharmacy staff and students), Christian Groups, NGOs and Prostate Cancer Patients in Harare CBD. The stakeholders sampling framework was obtained from the list of registered practitioners. The stakeholder mapping involved selection of 5 key informants from each focus group obtained through random selection. The Snowball sampling technique was used to follow the closest 5 key informants in each focus group. The key findings established that 80% of respondents agreed to the integration of ZTM. The major bottlenecks were lack of modern dosage forms and standardization to determine quality, safety and efficacy of the ZTM. The study suggests that in order to fast track the integration process, a bottom up implementation strategy providing ZTM advocacy, capacity building in the institutionalization and training of ZTMPs, pharmacists and CMP need to be engaged for a favorable and quick buy-in. The study also recommends further analysis of the Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) areas of specialization in pharmaceutical practice in order to improve treatment outcomes.

In this doctorate, I provide a balanced and collaborative approach to knowledge/value change between the contesting worldviews of indigenous knowledge and western science, termed 'synergistic'. My search for synergy is comparative and reconciliatory. This endeavours to overcome the popular pre-occupation with conflict and opposition. Rather, both difference and similarity are recognised. Through the comparison of such synergy, I argue that Māori development requires for its further advancement a focus not only on difference and conflict, but also on affinity and convergence. My primary concern is to establish a better understanding of the synergistic, adaptive strategies or indigenous innovation of Māori kaitiaki, environmental stewards. I investigate conflicting and converging Māori and western scientific conservation and use values in Aotearoa/New Zealand environmental governance and management regimes under the Resource Management Act 1991, with specific regard to indicator development. The balance of values were compared in ecological environmental governance, from five Aotearoa governmental authorities and three Māori river communities, utilising Māori and western social science methods. My focus on indicators pinpoints contesting knowledge/value change between the marginalisation of indigenous knowledge and dominance of western science. This seeks to highlight the potential viability of Māori kaitiakitanga, stewardship in global and national terms of sustainability. However, potential synergy is held back by a prevailing viewpoint of the indigenous worldview as backward, past-oriented and non-synergistic. An oppositional dogma predominates, which is a key problem to overcome. It spans world and national literature, resulting in considerable gaps in knowledge on synergy, conceptually, methodologically, empirically and analytically. This is addressed by an authoritative Māori synergistic standpoint from my own cultural lens and decolonised theorising, termed 'nuanced problem solving'. I articulate both worldviews in knowledge/value change through comparative, evolutionary, multi-dimensional, cross-cultural and inter-disciplinary research on synergy. My nuanced problem solving encapsulates the two main parts of the doctorate, whereby synergy is correlated between theory and social practice. Part one deals with value comparison in theory utilising high abstracted concepts and methods at the global level of environmental governance. Part two deals with value balance in social practice utilising medium abstracted and concrete empirical and analytical research at global, national, regional, district and cross-tribal levels of environmental governance. Potential synergy cross-cuts each part from high abstracted thought down and from the practical flax roots up. I argue that Māori advancement fluctuates between them. Drawing on cultural and theoretical leanings of the Māori synergistic standpoint, both a strong correlation with existing theory and expanded synergistic theorising was found. Due to the expansiveness of the research, these correlated findings only provide an embryonic understanding of potential synergy. A postscript describes my other work on synergy with five external agencies concerning foreshore, lakeside, wastewater, land disposal and carbon marketing kaitiakitanga. I argue that additional research on synergy is needed in order to further advance Māori.

This thesis critically explores the issue of access to biological resources and Indigenous knowledge Historically, biological resources collected and documented, and knowledge associated with their use, have been considered the 'common heritage of mankind' The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) changed this understanding to tights of states over biological resources, but also gave rise to issues of equity and justice, especially with regard to Indigenous Nations encapsulated within First World states-so-called 'Fourth World Nations', A central concern of Fourth World Peoples is their marginalisation within access negotiations, despite their claims of connate (birth) rights to r esou.r ces and knowledge they identify as their own. Increasing global Indigenous activism over their concerns, has in turn raised an increasingly important policy gap that is becoming recognised in fora and processes with regard to access to biological resources. My thesis addresses this policy gap. I explore some of the complex historical, political and cultural dimensions that led to the emergence and resilience of this policy problem The failure to address the concerns of Indigenous peoples, and Fourth World Nations in particular, is more important and problematic now because of contemporary biotechnological developments and the emergence of bioprospecting. Bioprospecthg refers to the practice of appropriating biological resources, and Indigenous knowledge of those resources, and incorporating them into biopharmaceutical processes. Literature on bioprospecting as a problematic issue for Third World States has been emerging steadily over the last decade under the impact of the commercialisation of biodiversity, which has become big business for biopha.rmaceutical companies. The unique interests and experiences of Fourth World Nations are not recognised within this literature as significantly different to that of the Third World, and of their encapsulating states.. This study has addressed this significant gap by utilising and developing an analytical approach that uses Fourth World theory, synthesised with elements of Foucault's analytics of power. When combined, these two theoretical approaches provide a new and rich under standing of how dominant 'ways of knowing' and 'ways of owning' have been privileged, while other knowledge and ownership systems have been, and continue to be, marginalised, Eoucault's understanding of discursive power as having the capability to be either, or both, dominant and resistant is important to my analysis, as it accommodates the Fourth World as a discursive site of resistance to dominant power. I posit that richer insights are gained through the development and application of this theoretical framework to the issue of fair and equitable access to biological resources, than other approaches offer. I demonstrate the framework's utility by applying it to a case study on bioprospecting in Australia. Important findings have emerged while tracking the activities of Fourth World peoples on the international stage, and their attempts to challenge dominant power/knowledge structures within political institutions For example, participation at the international level has enabled Fomth World peoples to apply pressure on their encapsulating states to accommodate their interests. This has been furthered through forming alliances with, for example, environmentalists, and through the adoption of the language of effective participation within international fora.. Overall, however, the study found that the participation of Eourth World peoples within international, central state and local state policy processes is not always empowering in challenging dominant interests Instead, the more accurate impression is that at this stage of the discursive policy terrain, it may only create an illusion of participation that actually serves to entrench their disempowerment. This places pressule on policy processes to address and resolve this access issue equitably if social turbulence is to subside, justice be served, and certainty provided for all.

Master of Science / The objective of this research is to employ Geographical Information Systems to fisheries management in the Mekong River Basin. The study uses artisanal fisheries practices in Khong district, Champasack province Lao PDR as a case study. The research focuses on integrating indigenous and scientific knowledge in fisheries management; how local communities use indigenous knowledge to access and manage their fish conservation zones; and the contribution of scientific knowledge to fishery co-management practices at village level. Specific attention is paid to how GIS can aid the integration of these two knowledge systems into a sustainable management system for fisheries resources. Fieldwork was conducted in three villages in the Khong district, Champasack province and Catch per Unit of Effort / hydro-acoustic data collected by the Living Aquatic Resources Research Centre was used to analyse and look at the differences and/or similarities between indigenous and scientific knowledge which can supplement each other and be used for small scale fisheries management. The results show that GIS has the potential not only for data storage and visualisation, but also as a tool to combine scientific and indigenous knowledge in digital maps. Integrating indigenous knowledge into a GIS framework can strengthen indigenous nowledge, from un processed data to information that scientists and decision-makers can easily access and use as a supplement to scientific knowledge in aquatic resource decision-making and planning across different levels. The results show that when scientific and indigenous knowledge are both stored digitally in GIS databases, a variety of analysis can be done. Multiple layers or visualising functions in ArcGIS are an example of ways in which indigenous and scientific knowledge can be combined in GIS. Maps of deep pools and important fishing grounds gathered using GPS and indigenous knowledge provide base maps of aquatic resources in the study area. The attribute table associated with the map links characteristics of each point, including fishing gear and species found in each pool as well as spawning grounds and migration periods. This information is useful for management and planning purposes. This research illustrates that mental maps and GIS digital maps can be used for fisheries management at different levels. Where mental maps are suitable for communicating with the local community and have the potential for use in fisheries co-management in small-scale fisheries; GIS may be appropriated for data storage and analysis at provincial and national levels, it can be used as a communication tool amongst stakeholders to monitor and understand the aquatic environment.

<p>Traditional forest reserves are protected natural forests established by ancestors to perform many socio-cultural functions and are protected in accordance to customary laws, not based on government legislation. These reserves generally have a long history with well preserved forests that could demonstrate what the surrounding environment could have looked liked, if humans had not altered it. Therefore, the traditional forest reserves might have significant ecological value and a potential high biodiversity. During February and March of 2009 a field study with semi-structured interviews and field observations was carried out in Babati District in Manyara Region in Tanzania, to study the possible contribution TFRs might have to conservation. The information collected were then analysed using Metapopulation Theory, Island Biogeography Theory and local knowledge concepts. The analysis indicates that there is a higher biodiversity in TFRs compared to surrounding areas and unprotected forests as a result of a rigid traditional protection that local people respect. Further on the MPT and IBT show how TFRs could benefit conservation as islands of refuge for threatened species or as migration corridors between nearby forest reserves and national parks. The future for TFRs and possible conversion into CBFM must include respect and support for the local beliefs as a basis for protection and thereby conservation.</p>

Traditional forest reserves are protected natural forests established by ancestors to perform many socio-cultural functions and are protected in accordance to customary laws, not based on government legislation. These reserves generally have a long history with well preserved forests that could demonstrate what the surrounding environment could have looked liked, if humans had not altered it. Therefore, the traditional forest reserves might have significant ecological value and a potential high biodiversity. During February and March of 2009 a field study with semi-structured interviews and field observations was carried out in Babati District in Manyara Region in Tanzania, to study the possible contribution TFRs might have to conservation. The information collected were then analysed using Metapopulation Theory, Island Biogeography Theory and local knowledge concepts. The analysis indicates that there is a higher biodiversity in TFRs compared to surrounding areas and unprotected forests as a result of a rigid traditional protection that local people respect. Further on the MPT and IBT show how TFRs could benefit conservation as islands of refuge for threatened species or as migration corridors between nearby forest reserves and national parks. The future for TFRs and possible conversion into CBFM must include respect and support for the local beliefs as a basis for protection and thereby conservation.