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Indigenous Ecostudies

Resource to support Honors 207

traditional ecological knowledge (TEK)

United States government and Traditional ecological knowledge (TEK)

Elevating Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) : ITEK is a body of observations, oral and written knowledge, practices, and beliefs that promote environmental sustainability and the responsible stewardship of natural resources through relationships between humans and environmental systems. It is applied to phenomena across biological, physical, cultural and spiritual systems. ITEK has evolved over millennia, continues to evolve, and includes insights based on evidence acquired through direct contact with the environment and long-term experiences, as well as extensive observations, lessons, and skills passed from generation to generation. ITEK is owned by Indigenous people—including, but not limited to, Tribal Nations, Native Americans, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians.
Overview of TEK TEK is also called other names, such as Indigenous Knowledge, Native Science. Indigenous peoples as well as non-Indigenous peoples who are long-term (hundreds of years) local residents, e.g., Appalachian communities, Spanish land grant communities, can also provide TEK. ~ National Park Service
Protect the sacred [Association of American Indian Affairs] Traditional religious and ceremonial practices of Native Americans are often inseparably bound to specific areas of land. Many of these sacred places are located on what is now public land and Western concepts of resource development, such as logging, mining and tourism, may conflict with the integrity of these sacred places. Yet, while federal and other land managers routinely take into account the needs of developers and recreational users in making land management decisions, they do not so readily take into account the often profound effect of their undertakings upon sacred, ceremonial and traditional cultural places that are critical to Native American populations, tribes and cultures.
Traditional Ecological Knowledge Fact Sheet TEK refers to the evolving knowledge acquired by indigenous and local peoples over hundreds or thousands of years through direct contact with the environment. This knowledge is specific to a location and includes the relationships between plants, animals, natural phenomena, landscapes and timing of events that are used for lifeways, including but not limited to hunting, fishing, trapping, agriculture, and forestry.
Traditional ecological knowledge vs Western Science Collected of sources organized by topics under Traditional Ecological Knowledge by the National Park Service.

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about ethnography

How to... Use ethnographic methods & participant observation detailed guide to using ethnographic research methods and participant observation