Die Provinz Papua birgt eine äußerst vielfältige Biodiversität, die es noch von der Forschung zu entdecken gilt. Verschiedene Pflanzen dienen als Wirkstoff und werden traditionell von den Einwohnern angewendet. Der Marind-Stamm lebt im Distrikt Merauke im südlichen Papua. Aufgrund der geographischen Gegebenheiten unterteilt sich der Marind-Stamm in drei Gruppen, die Marind pantai (oder Marind dufh), Marind rawa (oder Marind bob) und Marind darat (oder Marind degh). Eine der am häufigsten traditionell verwendeten Pflanzenarten ist Piper methysticum, das sogenannte Wati. Die Wati-Blätter enthalten aktive Substanzen, die eine sedative Wirkung haben und einen langanhaltenden Schlaf verursachen. Die pharmakologischen Effekte sind den Eingeborenen seit langem bekannt. Die Spezies wird als traditionelle Medizin und als Getränk verwendet. Daher kommt ihr eine Bedeutung für die soziale Interaktion zwischen Einzelpersonen und Gruppen der Gemeinschaft zu. Zudem zeigt Wati, das in der Region des Marind-Stammes wächst, eine hohe morphologische Diversität. Die Eingeborenen haben besondere lokale Namen für jede Sorte oder Cultivar. Aufgrund der Bedeutung von Wati ist diese Art häufig Gegenstand ethnobotanischer Studien. Diese können auf Grundlage des Wissens der drei ethnischen Gruppen hinsichtlich der morphologischen Charakterisierung, der Verwendung, dem Anbau und dem Schutz von Wati durchgeführt werden. Die Methoden in der vorliegenden Studie umfassen Erfassungsmethoden und partizipative Beobachtungen. Die Orte für die Untersuchung wurden in 32 Dörfern gewählt. Informanten wurden nach einem zweckgeleiteten Stichprobenverfahren ausgewählt. Die Daten wurden hauptsächlich durch semistrukturierte und offene Interviews mit mehr als 100 Personen der Gemeinschaft erhoben. Diese Untersuchung verwendete zwei grundsätzliche Ansätze, den emischen und den ethnischen Ansatz. Der emische Ansatz stellt eine auf ethnologischer Forschung beruhende Methode dar, um zu einer Beschreibung der Wahrnehmung und der Vorstellung der Stammesangehörigen oder der Stelle des zu erforschenden Objektes zu gelangen. Der ethnische Ansatz wird auf Evidenzbasis von wissenschaftlicher Taxonomie und Genetik zur Analyse der Wahrnehmung und der Vorstellung von traditionellem Wissen der Bevölkerung vor Ort angewandt. Die Methoden in der botanischen Studie waren darauf gerichtet, die Taxonomie über die Analyse der gesammelten Felddaten aus den Erfassungsmethoden und der Beobachtung aufzuklären. Diese Methodologie wird zur Erstellung eines Inventars von Wati-Gärten und aller Wati-Sorten in jedem Dorf verwendet. Die Beobachtungsmethode wird zur Identifikation des spezifischen Charakters der Morphologie von Wati in den Gärten verwendet und um herauszufinden, wie die Bevölkerung vor Ort die Pflanze in ihrem alltäglichen Leben verwendet. Von Wati wurden Stiele, Blätter und Blüten zur Erstellung eines Trockenherbariums zur Bestimmung im Bogoriense Herbarium-Labor in Bogor (Indonesien) entnommen und falls nötig mit der Literatur abgeglichen. Die weltweite Verbreitung von Piper methysticum wird auf der Basis der Daten von Herbarien anderer Institutionen vorgestellt. Die genetische Diversität wurde zum Abgleich der morphologischen und anatomischen Daten von Wati untersucht. 140 Genetische Studien wurden für jedes beteiligte Labor durchgeführt. Für diese genetischen Analysen wurden nuclear microsatellite markers (nSSRs) und chloroplast microsatellite markers (cpSSRs) verwendet. Die Proben von den unterschiedlichen Pflanzenpopulationen wurden gemäß der geographischen Verteilung der Marind-Gesellschaft (Land-Marind, Strand-Marind und Sumpf- Marind) entnommen. Frische Wati-Blätter wurden von den drei Populationen entnommen. Jede Population bestand aus 30 einzelnen Pflanzen pro Cultivar als Probe. Die Gesamtzahl der Proben belief sich auf 172. Diese Untersuchung verwendete neun nuclear microsatellite markers or Primer (nSSRs) und drei chloroplast microsatellite markers oder Primer (cpSSRs), aber nur vier Primers wurden amplifiziert: PN B5, PN D10, PN G11 und ccmp2. Die Ergebnisse der ethnobotanischen Studie zeigten, dass Wati als heilig betrachtet und die Art bei jeder rituellen Zeremonie verwendet wird. Somit ist Wati eng mit der Kultur des Marind-Stammes verbunden. Die Prozeduren der Zubereitungsrituale und der Anbau von Wati unterscheiden sich bei den Gruppen des Marind-Stammes, aber der Verwendungszweck ist bei allen Gruppen derselbe. Das Wissen des Marind-Stammes, wie es als ein Getränk und für rituelle Zeremonien verwendet wird und wie es angebaut wird, ähnelt dem Wissen anderer Völker in der Südpazifik-Region. Im Allgemeinen wird Wati bei den drei Gruppen des Marind-Stammes unterschiedlich angewendet, identifiziert und klassifiziert, angebaut und gehandhabt. Diese Arbeit untersucht auch die Zuchtsorten von Wati hinsichtlich ihrer Morphologie (Wuchsform), Anatomie (Eigenchaften der Trichome und Stomata) und Genetik. Es zeigte sich, dass morphologische Variationen keine Entsprechung in der Genetik fanden. Die unterschiedliche Morphologie der Cultivare wird für die Klassifikation hinsichtlich des Habitus (Lebensform) (Strauchgröße ± 1 m, 2 m, verglichen mit P.wichimannii mit 4 m, der wie ein kleiner Baum aussieht), Stammfarbe (grün, bräunlich bis rot), Länge der Internodien (1-2 cm, 2-11 cm, 4-14 cm, verglichen mit P.wichimannii, >15cm), Blattdicke (eher dick, dick; dünne Blätter bei P.wichimannii), Weichheit der Blätter (eher weich, eher steif; bei P.wichimannii weich). Anatomisch unterscheidet sich methysticum auf der Ebene der Art von anderen Piper-Spezies wie P.wichimannii und Piper gibilimbum durch unterschiedliche Trichome. Die Unterschiede spiegeln sich ebenfalls in der Genetik wieder: die genetische Diversität variierte nicht in der Anzahl der Allele zwischen Piper methysticum-Cultivaren in der Region Merauke, da keineunterschiedlichen Allele gefunden werden konnten, nur außerhalb der Art Piper methysticum. Die folgenden Allele konnten in den Cultivaren von Piper methysticum gefunden warden: (Cultivar Babid: 7 nSSR-Allele und 1 cpSSRAllel), (Cultivar Safurawe: 8 nSSR-Allele und 1 cpSSR-Allel), (Cultivar Munana: 8 nSSR-Allele und 1 cpSSR-Allel), (Cultivar Wati Kuning: 7 nSSR-Allele und 1 cpSSR-Allel), Piper wichimannii (11 nSSR-Allele und 1 cpSSR-Allel), Piper betle (17 nSSR-Allele und 2 cpSSR-Allele). Die Unterschiede zeigen eine klare Trennung auf Ebene der Art zwischen methysticum, wichimannii und betle. Innerhalb der Diversität der Populationen generierten die drei polymorphic nuclear microsatellite markers insgesamt 20 Allele in den 3 Spezies. Die Anzahl der Allele pro Locus lag im Bereich von 2 für PN G11 bis zu 11 für PN D10. Die höchste Anzahl an Polymorphismen, die in Piper methysticum für den Locus PN D10 gefunden wurden, betrug 9, bei Piper betle und Piper wichimannii sind es für 141 die Loci PN D10 und PN G11 7 Allele, bei Piper methysticum auf dem Lokus PN G11 5 Allele. Bei der genetischen Diversität zwischen den Populationen ergab sich die höchste Anzahl an Allelen pro Spezies pro Population wie folgt: Piper methysticum bei den Sumpf-Marind 9 Allele, bei den Populationen der Strandund Land-Marind 8 Allele, Piper wichimannii nur bei den Land-Marind 11 Allele und Piper betle bei den Sumpf-Marind 13 Allele, bei den Land-Marind Land 11 Allele und schließlich bei den Strand-Marind 10 Allele. Bei der Identifikation der Wati-Varianten und der Aufklärung des Status von Wati in der Region Merauke auf der Basis von indigenem Wissen als auch der Morphologie und Genetik wurde gefunden, das die Wati-Pflanze die Arten Piper wichmannii und Piper methysticum umfasst. Piper methysticum umfasst fünf Cultivare: Babid, Wati Kuning, Safurawe, Palima und Munana. Diese Verteilung von Wati (Piper methysticum und Piper wichimannii) wird nur in Melanesien, Mikronesien und Polynesien gefunden, die zentrale Regionen Ozeaniens bilden. Zur Aufklärung des taxonomischen Status der Wati-Pflanze (Piper methysticum und Piper wichimannii) in Merauke müssen genetische Studien durchgeführt werden, um neue Haplotypen zu entdecken, die in anderen Proben von Wati aus Papua und von anderen Inseln erwartet werden.

A questionnaire survey was conducted in five different villages in Mpumalanga Province. Hundred and fifty traditional healers were interviewed. The aim of the survey was to record and document indigenous knowledge held by the traditional healers on wild ginger and eight other popular plants used by them. The healing properties of wild ginger as perceived by traditional healers, ranged from healing coughs, colds, flu, hysteria, malaria and menstrual disorder, to protection against lightning. Majority (77%) said that there was no difference in medicinal value between cultivated and those grown in the wild. The majority of the traditional healers (72%) said they would appreciate proper training on how to domesticate these plants. Traditional healers do not have professional knowledge and skills to produce theses medicinal plants. Therefore training is crucial to impart these skills. The income category of traditional healers ranged from less than R200 to a maximum of R3000. Traditional healers received as few as 1 to 5 patients per day. The consultation cost ranged from R20 to more than R95. People who gathered plants for traditional healers ranged from 1 to 10 depending on the popularity of the traditional healer and the size of his/ her surgery. An experiment was carried out at Johannesburg Center for the disabled (JOCOD), Lenasia, South of Johannesburg, in a plastic tunnel and under a shade net. The objective of the experiment was to determine the effect of using a tunnel or a shade net on the yield of rhizome and to determine the effect of different harvesting periods on rhizome yield of wild ginger. The treatments were four in number, namely; two growing structures (tunnel and shade net) and two harvesting periods. On the effect of harvesting periods on yield, although there was no significant differences in the number of enlarged roots harvested between the first harvesting period and the second harvesting period, the number of roots tended to be higher during the first harvesting period compared to the second harvesting period. There was a significant difference in the number of rhizomes between the first and the second harvesting periods. On the effect of growth structure on yield of wild ginger, the number of enlarged roots was significantly higher from plants grown in a tunnel compared with those grown in a shade net. There was a significant difference in rhizome circumference between plants grown in a plastic tunnel and those grown in a shade net. There were interactions between the harvesting date and growth structure for fresh enlarged root mass. Fresh mass of enlarged roots of wild ginger was greater during the first harvesting date than during the second harvesting date for plants grown in a plastic tunnel. For small scale or resource poor farmers, herbalists and traditional healers who wish to grow wild ginger under protection, it is better to grow wild ginger in a plastic tunnel than under a shade net, probably because wild ginger performs well in warm conditions. The plastic tunnels have a tendency of maintaining warm temperatures during winter months. Early harvesting of wild ginger at the end of June 28/06 than harvesting in September. This could be because wild ginger grows rapidly throughout the summer season and in winter, the growth rate drops (dormant stage) making early winter the right time to harvest. / Dissertation (M Inst Agrar (Horticulture))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Plant Production and Soil Science / unrestricted

An experiment was conducted to determine the effects of shade netting on growth, oil yield and compound composition of fever tea (Lippia javaica). The treatments were nine shade nets of different light intensities (100% bird net, 40% green, 10, 12 and 18% white and 30, 40, 55 and 70% black). The layout used was a completely randomized design. The parameters measured were shoot width, fresh shoot mass, the number of plants flowered, plant height and photosynthetically active radiation. Shade netting did not have any effect on the shoot width of L. javanica. Eighteen percent white net was best suited to produce fresh shoot mass, whereas 55% black net, 40% black net and 10% white net produced lower fresh shoot mass. More plants that flowered were obtained under 70% black net than those grown under 30% black net. The number of plants that flowered increased from 22 to 35 with an increase in shading density. The height of plants was not affected by shade netting at 49 DAT. However, at 59 and 67 DAT, the height of the plants was greater under low light intensities (40, 55, and 70% black nets) than that of high light intensity (30% black). Twelve percent white net had the greatest plant height at 102 DAT. Shade netting significantly affected the adsorption and utilization of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) above, across and below the plants at 102 DAT. Hundred percent bird net had the greatest amount of light intercepted above, across and below the plants. The amount of light intercepted above, below and across the plants was lower for lower shading intensity (30% black) than that of higher shading intensities (40%, 55% and 70% black). To determine shade-netting effect on oil yield and compound composition, fresh leaves (± 200g) of L. javanica were sampled from each shade net for essential oil extraction by hydrodistillation. The oil yield ranged from 0.29% to 0.41%. The oil had a clear to yellowish brown colour. No significant differences were detected for oil yield amongst the shade nets. The chemical compound analysis was carried out by GC/MS. The chemical compounds identified in the essential oil were <font face="symbol">a</font>-pinene, sebinen, myrcene, 1.8 myrcene, ipsenone, ipsedienone, <font face="symbol">b</font>-caryophyllen and germacrene-D. L. javanica plants grown under 10% white net, resulted in significantly higher myrcene content (15.7%) as compared to plants grown in other shade nets. Shade netting did not have any effect on the composition of á-pinene, sebinene, 1.8 myrcene, ipsenone, ipsedienone, <font face="symbol">b</font>-caryophyllen and germacrene-D. For commercial usage of myrcene, white net (10%) would be best suited for L. javanica production. To obtain information about indigenous knowledge of L. javanica, a survey was carried out among street traders, traditional healers, hawkers and farmers in Gauteng. The age group was between 20 and 73. The majority of respondents, who were self employed, were traditional healers followed by farmers. Most (98%) of the respondents indicated that they collected L. javanica from the veld by cutting the plant, whereas other respondents uprooted the whole plant when harvesting. Amongst the different uses of L. javanica mentioned, treatment of colds and coughs through steaming was stated by most (47%) of the respondents. Most (88%) of the respondents felt that it was important to conserve the plant for future generations and also to prevent the plant from becoming extinct. Traditional healers knew the uses and other important aspects of L. javanica than the farmers. / Dissertation (M Inst Agrar (Agronomy))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Plant Production and Soil Science / unrestricted

Over the course of history, and to this day, Indigenous peoples around the world have used their traditional knowledge to prepare for, cope with, and survive disasters (Hasan, 2016). For Indigenous communities, this locally bound knowledge is acquired from intergenerational experience, study, sharing and observation, and as such, it becomes a critical component in the development of a strategy for disaster resilience (Chakrabarti, 2009; Resture, 2009; Rotarangi and Russell, 2009; Trosper, 2003). The purpose of this dissertation is to work with the Nuu-chah-nulth First Nation, which consists of several Indigenous communities on the west coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada to understand Nuu-chah-nulth knowledge and strategies for disaster resilience, and how they can inform a shift in cultural understanding within the field of practice of emergency management. Given the exploratory nature of this research project, a descriptive approach is used based upon Indigenous methodologies and the methodologies of narrative analysis to explore: a Nuu-chah-nulth way of knowing that informs disaster resilience as well as the impacts of colonialism on the disaster resilience of the Nuu-chah-nulth people. From oral histories to traditional governance, and to the impacts of colonialism, the findings of this research describe the ways that a Nuu-chah-nulth way of knowing informs and reflects their own capacities towards disaster resilience. Ultimately, this dissertation supports a call to action for emergency management practitioners to embrace an Indigenous approach to emergency management when working with First Nation communities. By advocating for the inclusion and the importance of bringing an Indigenous worldview into the lexicon of emergency management practices and the dialogue on disaster resilience, this research supports the Nuu-chah-nulth First Nation recognizing that their own knowledge is a powerful tool for supporting and enhancing their communities’ resilience to disaster. / Graduate

In 1996, the authors of the Canadian Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples concluded Canadian educational policy had been based on the false assumption of the superiority of European worldviews. The report authors recommended the transformation of curriculum and schools to recognize that European knowledge was not universal. Aboriginal researcher Battiste believes the current system of Canadian education causes Aboriginal children to face cognitive imperialism and cognitive assimilation and that this current practice of cultural racism in Canada makes educational institutions a hostile environment for Aboriginal learners. In order to counter this cultural racism, Battiste calls for the decolonization of education. In 2005, the president of Northwest Community College (NWCC), publicly committed to decolonizing the college in order to address the continuing disparity in educational attainment between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal learners. Upon the president’s departure in 2010, the employees of NWCC were left to define for themselves the meaning of decolonization. This qualitative study was designed to build a NWCC definition of colonization and decolonization by collecting researcher observations, nine weeks of participant blog postings, and pre and post blog Word survey responses drawn from a purposeful sample of six Aboriginal and six non-Aboriginal NWCC employees selected from staff, instructor and administrator employee groups. The findings revealed NWCC employees held multiple definitions of colonization and decolonization which did not vary between employee groups, or based on participant gender; however, differences were found based on whether the participants were Aboriginal or non-Aboriginal. Both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal participants thought decolonization was a worthy goal for the college. Aboriginal participants felt hopeful that decolonization would happen in the future and thought decolonization had to do with moving forward to a time when they would be valued, respected, empowered, unashamed, safe, and viewed as equal to non-Aboriginals. Non-Aboriginal participants were unsure if decolonization was possible because it would require going back in time to restore the Aboriginal way of life. When non-Aboriginal participants felt their thoughts were not being valued or they were being associated with colonialism, they felt angry and guarded and were uncomfortable with Aboriginal participants expressing anger towards Colonizers.

The focus of this phenomenological research project is to delve into the question of ‘what it is like’ for teacher candidates to experience the phenomenon of learning to teach-in-relation in the context of a community service learning project. A sense of the phenomena of learning to teach-in-relation emerges as the five teacher candidates make and play with hula hoops beyond the initial intention of cultivating joyful physical activity on campus. This research is guided by van Manen’s (1997) phenomenological approach to researching lived experience, as well as an Indigenous research framework based on the theoretical and philosophical underpinnings of the medicine wheel. Within the relational and embodied framework of the medicine wheel, the following six significant themes shifted perceptions of what it means to teach: 1) waiting to learn; 2) shaping community; 3) learning in movement; 4) sitting with students; 5) learning with students; and 6) embodying a flexible practice.

In the wake of diversifying economy through science and technology, the government of Botswana is particularly inclined to Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) and Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS). IPR in its nature of advocating exclusive rights by the creator comes into direct conflict with the practice and understanding of IKS as community property, and a shared resource. To date, there is very little research work that explores policymakers’ knowledge about IPR and IKS in developing countries. Botswana, a developing country is yet to benefit from this type of research. This research investigated policymakers’ knowledge and practices of IPR on IKS in Botswana. The focus was on policymakers’ knowledge and practices, interaction with policy, and how their actions could be understood and explained. The study was conducted in four government departments, and one non-governmental organisation. Semi-structured interviews and document analysis were used to collect data. The findings of the study show that there is general lack of understanding about IPR in the public domain. Policymakers nonetheless know quite substantially about IPR and very little about IKS. This position puts indigenous knowledge on the periphery, and on the brink of being swallowed by other technologies. Moreover, the study uncovered evidence that the IPR and IKS activities are fragmented and policymakers treat each other with a great deal of suspicion and misunderstanding, hence affecting successful implementation of policy and projects particularly between two units in the study- the ministry of Communication, Science and Technology and the ministry of Trade and Industry. The study concludes by arguing that policymakers still require a great deal of assistance to really make sense of their practice. A lot of teaching and learning about policy is necessary to encourage broader participation in science policymaking in the context of a developing country like Botswana. / Dissertation (MEd (Science and Technology Education))--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Curriculum Studies / unrestricted

Magister Educationis - MEd / Over the last 15 years the Department of Education has rolled out various projects in an attempt to improve Mathematics and Science results and to increase the amount of learners who exit their schooling with those subjects. The 2010 - 2014 matric results show a decrease in the number of students who exiting with Science. One of the factors that might influence the learners' decision to do science can be ascribed to the methodologies that the teachers are using to teach Science. In response to the latter, this study investigated the cognitive shifts of grade two learners' conceptual knowledge of the day and night cycle after being exposed to a Dialogical Argumentation Based Instructional Model. The Contiguity Argumentation Theory (CAT) and Toulmin's Argumentation Pattern (TAP) were used as a framework to capture and interrogate learners' arguments with argumentation frames developed to categorize the learners’ argument responses. Analytical approaches were used to assess learners' argumentation skills along four stages namely intra-argumentation, inter-argumentation, whole class discussion and trans-argumentation. The study employed both quantitative and qualitative methods. The data was collected from grade 2 learners in a primary school in Cape Town, Western Cape Province in the form of a pre-post questionnaire, focus group interviews and classroom observation. The major findings of this study indicated that ● The Dialogical Argumentation Instructional model can assist learners to develop argumentative skills. ● The grade two learners in this study had alternative conceptions regarding the day and night cycle which is not scientifically valid. ● The views that learners hold are egocentric. ● DAIM is an effective teaching strategy to help learners to eliminate the misconceptions This study has shown that the Dialogical Argumentation Instructional Model (DAIM) seems to be effective in enhancing the learners’ understanding of the day and night cycle. / National Research Foundation

In a world on the brink of climate apocalypse the question if modern conceptions on the moral worth of nature are failing is no longer rhetorical. During this time of reckoning questioning core ideologies and the places where they originate from is necessary. In matters of ecology, Eurocentric colonial paradigms dominate the scientific and philosophical narrative. Increasing in reach and exposure, Indigenous people and the environmental movements they support, point to a coherent body of knowledge which teaches humans how to live in better relationship to the natural world. This inquiry will be comparing, contrasting, re-evaluating these radically different worldviews and value sets, while seeking to understand the differences between Indigenous knowledge and Eurocentric environmental ethics. The tool with which this will be attempted is decolonization, chosen for its radical questioning of the entrenched colonial and Eurocentric status quo. Perhaps by showing how Indigenous knowledge challenges and contrasts the dominant ecological culture, it can then guide and inform Eurocentric environmental ethics toward a new ecological epistemology and the work of decolonizing ecology can begin in earnest.

Thesis (M. Dev.) -- University of Limpopo, 2017 / There is a gap in the literature about the role and relevance of Indigenous Knowledge and beef cattle welfare in many parts of the Limpopo province. This gap is relevant because many marginalised cattle owners use indigenous knowledge in their day to day management of beef cattle. The aim of the study is to investigate the use of IK methods on beef cattle husbandry in Tshebela village in the Capricorn district of the Limpopo province as a contribution to filling the void identified above. The objectives of the study were as follows:  -To investigate the IK methods used in beef cattle husbandry in the area of the study;  -To assess if beef farmers use IK to identify medicinal plants to cure beef cattle;  -To investigate farmers‘ perceptions and attitudes on the use of IKS on beef cattle husbandry in the area of study. A qualitative methodology that was used was primarily phenomenological in design. A purposive sampling technique was used and twenty seven (27) traditional beef farmers, two (2) local herbalists were recruited as participants. Data was collected through focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and observations. An interpretative phenomenological-based analysis was used to surface the role and relevance of indigenous knowledge in beef cattle husbandry. The findings suggest that indigenous knowledge is used by cattle owners alongside modern knowledge and that communal farming posed some challenges to the farmers.