Obstacles to the use of indigenous knowledge

Abstract

Tribal communities are often viewed as living in harmony with nature, and their traditional knowledge is regarded as essential in the sustainable use of resources and central to their inclusion in the development process. This article studies the main obstacles to the use of indigenous knowledge among the Reang tribal community in Tripura (northeast India), and presents two main arguments. First, that there are inherent problems and tensions within the concept of indigenous knowledge which is not evenly shared across the community. Second, the essence of indigenous knowledge remains futile in circumstances where the Indian state categorises indigenous knowledge and its holders as “backward” and “primitive”.

Les communautés tribales sont souvent vues comme vivant en harmonie avec la nature et leurs connaissances traditionnelles sont considérées comme essentielles dans l'utilisation durable des ressources et centrales à leur inclusion dans le processus de développement. Cet article examine les principaux obstacles à l'utilisation des connaissances autochtones au sein de la communauté tribale Reang de Tripura (nord-est de l'Inde), et présente deux arguments. En premier lieu, le fait qu'il y a des problèmes et tensions inhérents dans le concept des connaissances autochtones, qui ne sont pas distribuées de manière égale dans l'ensemble de la communauté. En second lieu, l'essence des connaissances autochtones reste futile dans des circonstances dans lesquelles l'État indien catégorise les connaissances autochtones et leurs détenteurs comme « arriérés » et « primitifs ».

A menudo se afirma que las comunidades tribales viven en armonía con la naturaleza, que sus conocimientos tradicionales son esenciales para el uso sostenible de los recursos y que su sabiduría resulta fundamental para la incorporación de estos pueblos al proceso de desarrollo. El presente artículo examina los principales obstáculos que se presentan para el aprovechamiento del conocimiento indígena en la comunidad tribal de los reang, habitantes de Tripura (en el noreste de India), señalando dos argumentos básicos en este sentido. El primero sostiene que existen problemas y tensiones inherentes al concepto de “conocimiento indígena”, en tanto los significados atribuidos a esta noción no son compartidos de manera uniforme en toda la comunidad. El segundo afirma que la esencia del conocimiento indígena sigue siendo fútil en un contexto en el que el Estado indio tilda a los pueblos indígenas, y por ende a la sabiduría nativa, de “atrasados” y “primitivos”.

Keywords:

• Aid – Development policies
• South Asia

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank the Australian Government for granting me the Endeavour Fellowship, and the University of New South Wales (Australia) for the research grant to undertake this study. I am also thankful to Soham Bhattacharjee for his vital assistance in the field.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes on contributor

Mayuri Sengupta is a PhD candidate at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, University of New South Wales. Her doctoral thesis explores how state-led development is experienced by the ethnic minorities of Tripura, northeast India. She received her MA and MPhil degrees in Political Science from Jawaharlal Nehru University, India. Her research interests include the politics of development in South Asia.

Notes

1. The Tripura Merger Agreement (1949) was signed between the Indian Union and Queen Kanchanprava Devi of Tripura. The agreement rendered Tripura a “C” category state administered by India.

2. The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act 1958 gives special powers to the Indian army in the “disturbed” areas of northeast India. The Indian government has deployed the armed forces as a counter-insurgency policy in the region. The Act allows the armed forces to enter and search the premises of any person living in the disturbed area without a warrant. It also allows the arrest of “any person who has committed a cognizable offence or against whom a reasonable suspicion exists that he has committed or is about to commit a cognizable offence” (Ministry of Home Affairs 1958/1998). It also prohibits the association or assembly of more than five people in the region, rendering it a draconian law. The Act has been severely criticised by human rights activists, scholars, and the people of the northeast for its human rights violations.

3. Scheduled Tribes in India are tribes who are regarded as:

  ‘‘communities suffering from extreme social, educational and economic backwardness arising out of age-old practice of untouchability and certain others on account of this primitive agricultural practices, lack of infrastructure facilities and geographical isolation, and who need special consideration for safeguarding their interests and for their accelerated socio-economic development. These communities were notified as Scheduled Tribes as per provisions contained in Clause 1 of Articles 342 of the Indian Constitution respectively.’’ (National Commission on Schedule Tribes)

  India has adopted a reservation policy for Scheduled Tribes in government-funded educational institutions and employment sectors so as to initiate their socio-economic development.