Indigenous Science by Patricia Anne Davis

Indigenous Science Patricia Anne Davis, MA Choctaw-Navajo/Chahta-Dineh | June 29, 2011 at 2:05 am | Tags: co-creative solutions, healing, indigenous medicine, Indigenous science, indigenous wisdom, Native American, native american wisdom, Pamela Colorado, Patricia Anne Davis | Categories: Co-Creative Solutions, Native American Concepts | URL: http://wp.me/p1AFQE-41

What is indigenous science?

The term "Indigenous Science" was coined by Pamela Colorado and refers to a reverent way of knowing and living within the interrelatedness between people and the natural order of all creation. The term indigenous science was coined to convey a different way of thinking than western science.  It is designed for a spiritual awakening experience into a female gender nurturer life task through the four phases of a healing ceremony.

Pamela Colorado is the founder of the World Indigenous Science Network (WISN) and is an Oneida Indian.  Oneida means "people of reality."  She says of "Native people, we look at life differently.  Even the way we come to knowledge and present that knowledge is totally different from the Western way."  This is how she describes Indigenous science:

"Native science is a way of bringing people to a higher knowledge and one of its goals is to bring us to the Gii Lai – 'the still quiet place'.  In other words, our religion and our spirituality are built into our science."

Dineh spirituality is the science of light-love-life-nature in one integrated concept.  The will-to-love, peace, beauty and joy within our Affirmative thinking system and within the universe is called hozho.

We acknowledge the "holy people."  They are our ancestors in Dineh oral tradition.  Nelson Gorman, Jr. the Speaker of the Navajo Nation Council wrote in the Preface of the Navajo Code:

"We must not forget the Navajo customs and traditions which are unwritten.  Long before the Europeans arrived as newcomers, the Navajo people were living according to the laws, the rules, and the prayers taught to them by the Holy People, laws that brought order, beauty, peace, and harmony to the People and their world."

I thank my grandparents and parents for their loving songs and prayers for me.  Dineh ceremonies are our way of knowing.

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