Cultural Context

In this reflective post, I am going to address the following points in relation to the cultural context of my practice:

• How does indigenous knowledge relate to social justice?

• How does this relate to human rights?
• How can I ensure the care and protection of indigenous knowledge within my teaching practice?
• Why is this a responsibility within my context of practice?

Social Justice relates to the distribution of wealth, opportunities and privileges within a society. Indigenous knowledge encompasses the skills, experiences and insights of people, applied to maintain or improve their livelihood (Ellen and Harris, 1996) which are passed on through many generations. The relation between social justice and indigenous knowledge is simple. To have a society that is inclusive of all it's members, we must consider all aspects of that societies make-up. This in turn relates to human rights because every human within a society is of equal importance regardless of wealth, social standing or cultural background. We all deserve equal rights and access to the opportunities that go along with that.

I can ensure the protection of indigenous knowledge within my practice by frequently sharing history and stories that relate to the indigenous past of our country such as the Treaty of Waitangi. I can also contribute by showing my students how this knowledge relates to their lives now and why the knowledge of our countries indigenous culture, past and present, is critical to have. This is incorporated in to my practice through Te Reo in the classroom as well as the inclusion of the Māori and other cultures in the classroom. In our school, the deputy principal works hard to maintain strong relationships with indigenous families, frequently holding discussions and requesting feedback and forward for our school. She willingly shares her extensive knowledge with me and the rest of the staff, giving us a practical and active approach to applying it to our practice. Within the context of my practice, it is my responsibility that I ensure my students have ample opportunity to be involved in Māori enrichment but also the vast collection of other cultures that require recognition within the context of my school. I too must undertake professional development to ensure my indigenous knowledge is thorough and is being actively used in my practice.

Resources used:

Ellen and Harris, 1996. Concepts of indigenous environmental knowledge in scientific and development studies literature: A critical assessment. Retrieved from: http://lucy.ukc.ac.uk/Rainforest/SML_files/Occpap/indigknow.occpap_TOC.html 

Putt, J. 2013. Conducting Research with Indigenous People and Communities. Retrieved from https://app.themindlab.com/media/3308/view 

The Love Alliance. 2010, June 13th. What is Social Justice?. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VS20XrHivw