Ancestral Knowledge of Indigenous Peoples
Written by Victoria Chicmana Zapata
Translated by Amber Swann, Alejandra Martínez Hernández and Claudia Carreres Pérez
Ancestral knowledge is the accumulation of knowledge and practices rooted in indigenous cultures, passed on orally from generation to generation. This knowledge encompasses fields of expertise such as environmental management, health protection, connection to nature and spirituality, and many others (USAID, 2018).
In Peru, La Política Nacional para la Transversalización del Enfoque Intercultural (Ministry of Culture of Peru, 2017), a policy outlining Peru’s efforts to guarantee the rights of the Indigenous population, recognises that ancestral knowledge must be valued and recovered. Additionally, ancestral knowledge is an important resource when confronting universal challenges such as climate change (Ministry of Environment of Peru, 2015; Zavaleta-Cortijo et al., 2023).
Women play an essential role in the transmission and preservation of ancestral knowledge, notably through their conservation of native seeds (Ministry of Culture of Peru, 2019). Ancestral knowledge is an example of intangible world heritage and is a vital resource when confronting universal contemporary challenges in Peru and across the world. Despite its importance, this knowledge is threatened by factors such as discrimination, environmental deterioration and socio-economic change (Carranza et al., 2021).
Young indigenous women also play a crucial role in the appreciation, recovery and preservation of ancestral knowledge. The documentaries by these young women from the Organisation for Indigenous Women of the Central Selva Region of Peru (OMIAASEC) provide insight into the ancestral knowledge of indigenous peoples and the important place that it holds within their communities. In the documentary “Mi Abuela Sabia” (My Wise Grandmother), we meet a wise Asháninka woman and follow her journey in learning about medicinal plants and Indigenous medicine. We also gain insight into her worry and sadness over the possibility that this knowledge may not be passed down to future generations, and the lack of conservation of medicinal plants. In a similar vein, the film “La Lucha Intergeneracional de los Territorios Colectivos” (The Intergenerational Struggle for Collective Territories) documents the work conducted by Indigenous young people and adults to protect and conserve the knowledge of Indigenous territories.
We hope that through watching these documentaries about the young women from OMIAASEC, you will listen to the messages from the younger generations of the Indigenous population about ancestral knowledge and the importance of recuperating, valuing and preserving it.
References
Carranza, H., Tubay, M., Espinoza, H., & Chang, W. (2021). Saberes Ancestrales: una revisión para fomentar el rescate y revalorización en las comunidades indígenas del Ecuador. Journal of Science and Research, 6(3), 112–128.
Ministry of Environment of Peru. (2015). Estrategia Nacional ante el Cambio Climático al 2050.
Ministry of Culture of Peru. (2017). Política Nacional para la Transversalización del Enfoque intercultural.
Ministry of Culture of Peru. (2019). Sistematización de experiencias que han recuperado e implementado conocimientos y saberes ancestrales o locales en las buenas prácticas de adaptación al cambio climático en la región Cusco.
USAID. (2018). Saberes ancestrales sobre indicadores climáticos de los hombres y mujeres indígenas amazónicos.
Zavaleta-Cortijo, C., Ford, J. D., Galappaththi, E. K., Namanya, D. B., Nkwinti, N., George, B., Togarepi, C., Akugre, F. A., Arotoma-Rojas, I., Pickering, K., Perera, C. D., Dharmasiri, I. P., Chicmana-Zapata, V., Bezerra, J., Nuwagira, R., Nakwafila, O., Amukugo, H., Hangula, M., Krishnakumar, J., … Fernandez-de-Larrinoa, Y. (2023). Indigenous knowledge, community resilience, and health emergency preparedness. The Lancet Planetary Health, 7(8), e641–e643.