Transcript Document

INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE
SYSTEMS AND
ETHNOMATHEMATICS
Mogege Mosimege
Department of Science and Technology
Pretoria, South Africa
[email protected]
Presentation made in the Panel on ‘IKS and Ethnomathematics’ at
the ICEM 3 Conference, Langham Hotel, Auckland, New Zealand, 13
February 2006
HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENTS WITH RESPECT TO
INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE SYSTEMS (IKS) IN
SOUTH AFRICA: AUDITS AND WORKSHOPS
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1996: Meeting between Chairperson of Arts, Culture, Science and
Technology Portfolio Committee and Council for Scientific and Industrial
Research (CSIR) Executive
October 1996 – January 1997: Pilot of Indigenous technologies Audit at
University of The North (now University of Limpopo – Turfloop Campus)
February 1997: Workshop at UNIN; Decision to conduct a national Audit
March 1997 – December 1998: Audit conducted by following Universities
(i) University of Venda (ii) University of North West (now the Mafikeng
Campus of the North West University (iii) Vista University – Mamelodi
(now the Mamelodi Campus of the University of Pretoria) (iv) UNISA (v)
University of the North – Qwaqwa Campus (now Qwaqwa Campus of the
University of the Free State (vi) University of Zululand (vii) University of
Transkei (now Walter Sisulu University) (viii) University of Fort Hare
January – December 1998: Provincial Workshops conducted by each
University
First National Workshop on IKS at University of North West: September
1998 (jointly organized by the Portfolio Committee, DACST, and the
CSIR; Supported by other stakeholders)
LESSONS LEARNT FROM THE
AUDIT
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Extent and depth of knowledge of indigenous and local people
Marginalization of the knowledge and exclusion of the knowledge from
the mainstream
Lack of recognition and acknowledgement of knowledge holders
Lack of protection of the knowledge, leading to exploitation and biopiracy
Misconceptions related to the knowledge
Role of researchers and research methodologies cannot remain the same
as in other areas of research
Commitment by government, Science Councils, Universities, Traditional
Leaders, Indigenous Knowledge Holders and other stakeholders
International role players, especially the role of pharmaceuticals in
collaboration with national role players
IKS IN DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE
AND TECHNOLOGY (DST)
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Establishment of Ministerial task team to Draft
Legislation and Policy on IKS in 1999: Team headed by
Prof Catherine Odora-Hoppers (based at the HSRC)
Delegations by Task Team to India and China in 1999 –
2000 to learn about IKS in the two countries
Provision of ring-fenced funding to the NRF for
research in IKS since 2000
Establishment of Unit dedicated to IKS in the Science
and Technology Branch of the Department of Arts,
Culture Science and Technology in 2001
IKS IN SOUTH AFRICA: THE
NATIONAL RESEARCH FOUNDATION
(NRF)
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Defines IKS as a complex set of knowledge and
technologies existing and developed around specific
conditions of populations and communities indigenous
to a particular geographic area (NRF, 2000)
Has established an IKS Research Focus in addition to
the 8 Focus Areas on: Distinct South African Research
Opportunities; Economic Growth and International
Competitiveness; Conservation and Management of
Ecosystems and Biodiversity; Education and the
Challenges for Change (Science, Mathematics and
Technology Education is funded here); Globalization
Challenges; ICT; Sustainable Livelihoods; Unlocking
the Future
NRF: IKS FOCUS AREA
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Administers a ring-fenced amount of R10m per annum which
has been provided by the Department of Science and
Technology (DST) since 2000
At least 400 Research Grants have been awarded thus far
There are 4 Research Themes – Ethnomathematics is funded in
one of the 4 Areas:
The production, transmission and utilization of indigenous
knowledge (IK) and technology
The role of IK in nation building (Traditional Medicine &
Health; Indigenous Food Systems; Socio Cultural Systems –
Indigenous Languages, Indigenous notions of Science and
Technology; Arts, Crafts and Materials)
IK at the interface with other knowledge systems
Introducing IKS into the mainstream of education
INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE
SYSTEMS: SOME
DEFINITIONS
Indigenous knowledge is the local knowledge – knowledge that is unique
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to a given culture or society. IK contrasts with the international
knowledge system generated by universities, research institutions and
private firms. It is the basis for local-level decision making in agriculture,
health care, food preparation, education, natural-resource management,
and a host of other activities in rural communities. (Warren, 1991)
Indigenous knowledge is used synonymously with ‘traditional’ and ‘local’
knowledge to differentiate the knowledge developed by a community from
the international knowledge systems sometimes called ‘’Western’ system,
generated through universities, government research centres and private
industry. IK refers to the knowledge of indigenous peoples as well as any
other defined community. (Warren, 1992)
The unique, traditional, local knowledge existing within and developed
around specific conditions of women and men indigenous to a particular
geographic area. (Louise Grenier, Working with Indigenous Knowledge. A
Guide for Researchers, International Development Research Centre, 1998)
INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE:
SOME MORE DEFINITIONS
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An all inclusive knowledge that covers technologies and practices
that have been and are still used by indigenous and local people for
existence, survival and adaptation in a variety of environments.
Such knowledge is not static but evolves and changes as it
develops, influences and is influenced by both internal and
external circumstances and interaction with other knowledge
systems. Such knowledge covers contents and contexts such as
agriculture, architecture, engineering, mathematics, governance
and other social systems and activities, medicinal and indigenous
plant varieties, etc. (Onwu & Mosimege, Indigenous Knowledge
Systems and Science and Technology Education: A Dialogue,
African Journal of Research in Mathematics, Science and
Technology Education, V 8, No. 1, 2004)
IKS POLICY
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Key Policy Drivers – 4
IKS and the National Systems of Education
and Innovation
Stakeholders and Role Players in IKS
Institutional Framework
IKS Funding and Principles
National and International Imperatives
Role of various Government Departments and
the Intergovernmental Committee on IKS
KEY POLICY DRIVERS IN THE
SOUTH AFRICAN CONTEXT
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Affirmation of African cultural values in the
face of globalisation
Development of the services provided by
Indigenous Knowledge Holders and
Practitioners
Contribution of indigenous knowledge to the
economy
Interfacing with other knowledge systems
SOME MAJOR THEMES IN
ETHNOMATHEMATICAL RESEARCH: ANALYSIS
FROM STUDIES IN SOUTH AFRICA
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Mural Decorations (dominant in the Mpumalanga Province)
Indigenous Games
Beadwork
Weaving (baskets, mats, knots, pyramids, hexagons, etc)
Traditional House Building
Cultural Villages
Historical Development of Mathematical Concepts e.g. Counting
Linguistics and Mathematics – Indigenous Languages and
Mathematics Education
Cultural Artifacts
Interface between culture and mathematics – broadly
Daily activities in the context of the mathematics classroom
SOUTH AFRICAN SPORTS
COMMISSION AND INDIGENOUS
GAMES
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South African Sports Commission (SASC) took the
initiative to revive indigenous games through the
Indigenous Games Project
Formation of a National Structure which involves all
the 9 Provinces
SASC collected 23 indigenous games from the different
regions of South Africa
Published a Booklet on South African Indigenous
Games in 2001 containing 7 of the 23 games
Previous Minister of Sports Ngconde Balfour launched
the Indigenous Games at Basotho Cultural Village in
the Eastern Part of the Free State on 24 February 2001
SEVEN GAMES LAUNCHED AT
BASOTHO CULTURAL
VILLAGE
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Dibeke: A running ball game
Kho-Kho: A running game
Ntimo/Kgati: A rope-jumping game
Diketo: A coordination game
Jukskei: A target game
Ncuva/Morula: A board game
Morabaraba: A board game
MORABARABA GAME:
HISTORY AND BACKGROUND
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South African War Games Union (with Headquarters
in Johannesburg) has been organizing competitions on
the game over a number of years – at least 10 years
Have written some historical background on the game
Doubts about origin of the game, reference is usually
made to an Egyptian origin
Research by Mosimege (2000) indicated that the elderly
Tswana men learnt the game during the days when
they looked after cattle (herdboys): Interviewed a
number elderly men in their 70s
This research disputed strongly some of the rules as
written by the South African War Games Union. For
instance the rules relating to the end of the game – not
2 but 3 cows.
SOME PERSPECTIVES ON
MORABARABA FROM INDIGENOUS
KNOWLEDGE HOLDERS (ELDERS)
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It is neither a boys nor a girls game, both can play the
game
Morabaraba, even though used the most, is actually a
South Sotho name, the name in Setswana is Mmela
Historically, the game was drawn on a flat stone, at
times on the ground
Measurement and Straightness of lines done through
the bark of a shrub called ‘bokwetse’
Estimation and Comparison of lengths of lines done
using the Middle finger and Thumb
Rules of the game: A cow does not move on 3 legs, so
the game does not end when 2 tokens are left but rather
when 3 are left
MORABARABA ON A STONE AT BASOTHO
CULTURAL VILLAGE - QWAQWA
TEACHER AND LEARNERS PLAYING
MORABARABA GAME
LEARNERS DISCUSSING
MORABARABA GAME
MORUBA: HISTORY AND
BACKGROUND
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Mancala (Mankala) type games found in many parts of the world
(Broline and Loeb, 1996).
Mancala a generic name given by anthropologists to refer to a
class of various board games (Ismael ,1997; Odeleye, 1997)
Various names used in different African countries:
- Moruba: Limpopo (mostly the North Sotho speaking parts)
Province of South Africa
- N’tchuva, Mpela, Thadji: Mozambique
- Oware: Ghana
- Ayo: Nigeria
- Soro: Tanzania
- Omweso: Uganda
SOME PERSPECTIVES ON MORUBA
FROM INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE
HOLDERS
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It is predominantly a men’s game used during war, as a result no
women played the game as they were not allowed to go to war;
men played it the most when they went to the mines in the
Gauteng Province; However in recent days both boys and girls
play the game
Moruba a social activity where men strategised about a variety of
activities and events relating to men, also shared advise and ideas
Language, Expressions and Terminology used during the game
even signify what happens when war takes place
Two-Row Version (called Semmeh in Limpopo Province) very
basic in the South of Africa although dominant in the North of
Africa, Four-Row Version the most dominant version in the South
of Africa
Players have to be extremely capable of quick calculations to know
how many takes are available at which stage of the game
PLAYERS PLAYING MORUBA (FOUR-ROW
VERSION)IN MANKWENG TOWNSHIP, LIMPOPO
PROVINCE
STRING FIGURE GAMES
(MALEPA): HISTORY AND
BACKGROUND
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The historical record of string figures in Africa dates
back to almost 100 years
Most of this work is found in Alfred Haddon’s work of
1906. This work refers to the pastime by Negro tribes,
and most of these coming from Africa
In the research by Mosimege, reference is made by the
elderly that they used to play Malepa around the
evening fires when they were young. This would at least
be about 100 years ago.
Most of the participants at the workshops I have
attended indicate how they used to play these when
they were young
SOME PERSPECTIVES ON MALEPA
FROM INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE
HOLDERS
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Name and meaning of game: Even though it is
generally known as “Diheke” because of the gates that
appear on the string, the appropriate name is “Malepa”
signifying the complexity of the manipulation the
String as the Gates increase
Making of String from animal skin: Even though all
kinds of strings are used today, the elderly used to
make string from the skin of animals which they would
kill as they were herding the cattle, or even from cattle
and sheep skin
Games played around the fire in the evenings during
story telling time by the Grandfathers and
Grandmothers
LEARNER GIVING A
DEMONSTRATION OF STRING
FIGURE GATE 2
LEARNER GIVING A
DEMONSTRATION OF STRING
FIGURE GATE 6
SOME OF THE RESULTS OF THE
STUDIES ON INDIGENOUS
GAMES
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Mathematical knowledge from the analysis of indigenous games
Performance in specific mathematical concepts e.g. probability – Moruba
Socio-cultural interactions in the mathematics classroom during the play of
games
Acknowledgement and empowerment of learners through the use of indigenous
games
Relations between indigenous games and mathematics classroom activities
Knowledge of games by the elders and elderly and knowledge holders and the
implications for mathematics education
History and Transportation of indigenous games and the impact of
globalization
Written records and verification processes of indigenous games
Similarities and Differences in indigenous games across different countries
Research Methodologies and Analytical Frameworks that may be used in the
studies on Indigenous Games
ROLE OF INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE
HOLDERS (ELDERS) IN
ETHNOMATHEMATICAL STUDIES
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Their wealth of knowledge may be used to
verify and correct the records that already
exist, which at times may be incorrect
They must not only serve as our source of
knowledge and research material, but should as
many times as possible and as far as possible,
allow their voices to be heard
They must be acknowledged correctly and
appropriately (Contribution to making their
knowledge eradicate their poverty)