MELCA, Ethiopia focused work after the ALI in three districts on the boundary of Bale Mountain National Park.  These are areas where illegal incursion on indigenous and local people’s culture and knowledge are common.   The area is characterized by environmental degradation, land use conversion, changes in biodiversity and over exploitation of natural resources. An awareness raising and consultative workshop was held about the importance of local indigenous knowledge and how to create a linkage between traditional and scientific knowledge.  Elders, custodians, traditional leaders, school and college teachers, Heads of the Woreda Education offices and representative from culture and tourism bureau participated in the workshop (m=38; f=3).

 

As part of the workshop participants travelled to

one of the sacred natural sites that have

experience on revitalization of indigenous

knowledge. This sacred natural site, which was

the ritual place for community to pray for rainfall,

disease outbreaks, and other community

problems, had been taken away by youth

for agriculture. However, 3 custodians started

a movement to claim their ancestral wisdom and

land rights in a formal court case.    For 3 years,

they fought along with other elders to regain

their land and finally succeeded.  The culture

and tourism office was an important collaborator.

The sacred natural site is now identified,

demarcated, certified and legalized by court.

The group reflection sessions after this visit were

very interactive and ignited the passion of

participants to rebuild the indigenous people’s

knowledge system.

 

IMPACT AND CHALLENGES

Participants recommended actions to move

forward including to identify and document

indigenous knowledge systems, to work for

legal recognition as per the local context, to

work together at both community, school and college to link indigenous knowledge with scientific knowledge and to create linkages between elders of different areas to transfer indigenous knowledge to youth.

 

FUTURE

Stakeholders also agreed to establish an Elders Council to promote indigenous knowledge system and the role of elders as the source of wisdom to ensure peace and security.  Elders and other participants were very keen and energetic to be part of this movement for change, and named the council “Gumi-Mangudoota Baalee‟. 

                                                                                                                                                      Contributed by MELCA Staff