IB Theory of Knowledge - an ongoing list of interesting finds

A feature article on how one particular group is mitigating the ongoing natural crises of flooding and fires throughout Australia.  "What’s the solution to mitigating these disasters? More technology, more fire fighters, more flood-proofing? Those may sound like reasonable, modern fixes, but many believe the answer really lies in the past. Indigenous communities in Australia have dealt with wildfires for millennia using natural technology, namely fire itself." Photographed by Talei Elu.

The Guardian reports on knowledge at risk as language disappears.   "Knowledge of medicinal plants is at risk of disappearing as human languages become extinct, a new study has warned. Indigenous languages contain vast amounts of knowledge about ecosystem services provided by the natural world around them. However, more than  30% of the 7,400 languages on the planet are expected to disappear  by the end of the century, according to the UN." Amazonian herbal remedies on sale at Ver-o-Peso market in Belem, Brazil.  Photograph: Mario Tama/Getty

Languages around the world are dying, and dying fast .  "The grimmest predictions have 90 percent of the world's languages dying out by the end of this century. Although this might not seem important in the day-to-day life of an English speaker with no personal ties to the culture in which they’re spoken, language loss matters." National Geographic's page entitled " Enduring Voices " is a great resource to learn more about endangered languages.

He’s Sailing the World Using Just the Wind, Stars, and Waves More than 40 years ago, Nainoa Thompson joined a movement of young Hawaiians interested in reviving the traditional art of Polynesian navigation known as wayfinding. They learned to sail across open waters using just the wind, sky and waves as their guide, voyaging without modern navigation tools. Since then, Thompson has honed his craft navigating Hōkūleʻa, a traditional Polynesian double-hulled voyaging canoe. Today, Hōkūleʻa is sailing the world to spread the message that we must live sustainably and protect our earth. Over three years, the crew will travel thousands of nautical miles years to connect with communities across the world.

In this National Geographic Photo Essay, "Cutting-Edge Science Meets Centuries-Old Tradition," have a look at how the two worlds of Science and Indigenous Knowledge overlap in trying to document the historical and current knowledge of Mo'orea.

A brief informational pamphlet on defining the term "indigenous" - would be a good starting point for looking at RLSs focused on such topic / groups.

Interestingly, following our discussion last class about the ethics surrounding the "study" of nomadic tribes, National Geographic has published a feature article this month addressing some of the same difficult topics raised. The feature presents quite a detailed look at the influence of modern societies/technology on indigenous tribes in both Peru and Brasil, delving into where the two worlds either overlap or collide.  The pictures in the piece show a very rural, indigenous lifestyle, but the feature also makes mention of tribes having access to smartphones and guns, or offering their expertise as armed "guardians" of their territory. Quite an engaging look at a very complex ongoing controversy.