Introduction to
Traditional knowledge(TK)
• Traditional knowledge (TK) is originally cultured
oriented and it is essential to the cultural identity of the
society in which it is regulated and secured.
• Traditional Knowledge is used from ancient times by
tribal people and by indigenous local communities
under the local laws, customs and
culture.
• It has been transferred and expanded from generation
to generation.
• The role of traditional knowledge is very important in
making a country more developed.
3.
It gives achance for traditional based literary,
artistic or scientific works, performances,
inventions, scientific discoveries, designs, marks,
names and symbols, undisclosed information, all
other traditional based inventions and creations
resulting from intellectual activity.
Introduction to
Traditional knowledge (TK)
4.
The term TraditionalKnowledge means
“the knowledge possessed by the indigenous people
and communities, in one or more societies and in
one or more pattern, with, but not reserved to art,
dance and music, medicines and folk remedies, folk
culture, biodiversity, knowledge and protection of
plant varieties, handicrafts, designs, literature”.
Traditional knowledge means.....
5.
Practising Traditional Knowledge
•We use Neem while anybody suffering from any kind of fungal
infection on skin.
• If we cut our fingers while chopping vegetables or got hurt while
playing, immediately, we apply turmeric paste on the wound
that is healed in a day or two.
• In case of cough and cold, we use basil leaves (tulsi) to get rid of
it.
• People, who are living in the villages, use small branches of
Neem as toothbrush.
• In case of complaint about indigestion or stomach ache, grandma
prepares ginger or lemon decoction which solves the problem.
6.
Practising Traditional Knowledge
•Bone setters set the broken bone with herbal medicines.
• Even the bites of various insects including snakes and scorpions
are cured with the use of plants and roots.
• In India, there are so many herbs which cure so many diseases.
Since from ancient time, people got closer and mingled with
Nature.
• Indian people understood the importance of plants and herbs in
their life so they narrated it as “Mother Nature”.
• These are few examples of Traditional Knowledge which is
practiced by various tribal and local communities of villages in
India.
• This practices last from over 5000 years.
7.
Protection of TK
•As the commercial development is increasing,
technologically advanced countries are using those
biological resources and biological components without
taking permission or providing any fair compensation
to those indigenous people.
• When these biological recourses are used in this
unlawful way, it amounts to a theft called “Bio-
piracy”.
8.
Protection of TK
•Indian biological resources are patented in developed
nations for their commercial gain which are strictly the
cases of bio-piracy.
• It is the duty of the government to protect Indian
indigenous knowledge and biological resources from
commercial interest of developed nations
9.
• As wereached to 21st
century, we have achieved great
development and have done many inventions which can
make the human life very easy, smooth and comfortable
and most of such inventions have been protected under
various intellectual property laws.
• But still, some communities are in existence in some parts
of the world, where, the development has not reached.
• Such communities have very perfectly preserved their
knowledge by passing that to their generations in heritage.
Protection of TK
10.
Definition of TK
•There is no agreed definition for “traditional
knowledge”.
• The word Traditional Knowledge is itself a suggestive
word.
• Traditional means hereditary or which is given by
generation to generation.
• Knowledge means useful information.
• Thus Traditional Knowledge refers to that useful
information which is passes through one generation
to other generation.
11.
• Thus, TraditionalKnowledge refers to knowledge,
innovations and practice of indigenous and local
communities around the world.
• This is the knowledge which has been preserved in
human memories and not written anywhere.
• It is accessible through recall and practice of learned
skills in a useful way in day to day life.
Definition of TK
12.
IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTICS OFTK
Some important characteristics of TK can be identified as
follows:
• It is transmitted from generations to generations in
many cases.
• It is transmitted orally for generations from person to
person.
• It is being considered by the communities as gift of
God and not as a private property.
• It is usually impossible to identify the original creator
of the information.
13.
IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTICS OFTK
• It is learned through continuous observation,
experience and practice.
• It is inseparable part of communal and cultural life of
its holders, and
• It is usually associated with the biological resources.
• It is not limited to any specific field of technology or the
arts.
• It is owned by a community and its use is often restricted to
certain members of that community.
14.
Traditional Knowledge isdivided into
•Cultural Knowledge
•Artistic Knowledge
•Medicinal Knowledge
•Biodiversity/ Natural Resources Knowledge
•Agricultural Knowledge
•Sacred Knowledge
Types of TK
15.
Nature and typesof TK
From its domain of application and associated
management approaches, TKS can be categorised as
• (i) Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK),
• (ii) Traditional Technical Knowledge (TTK) and
• (iii) Traditional Value and Ethics (TVE).
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Traditional Ecological Knowledge(TEK)
• TEK refers to the evolving knowledge acquired by
indigenous and local people 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, and the landscape that are used for
livelihood.
17.
Traditional Technical Knowledge
(TTK)
•TTK represents the knowledge related to design and
development of tools, implements and gears for
different application in the context of natural resource
management by the indigenous communities.
• Such practices are related to agriculture, fisheries,
animal husbandry, forestry, handloom and handicraft
etc.
• Moreover, TTK also represents the knowledge and skill
about design and construction like housing, water
harvesting structure, roads and bridges, etc.
Traditional Value andEthics (TVE)
• During the process, it evolves the concept of sacred
species, space, forests, water bodies, etc.
• This involves seasonality based practices like
restriction of fishing during breeding season,
harvesting forest resources during flowering period,
etc.
20.
Traditional Water harvesting
practices
•There are many age-old-practices of harvesting water in
the country.
• Basically to collect rainwater, restore surface flow of
water, ground water recharging, etc.
• These are based on simple technology and defined
management principles.
21.
Step well, anancient water
harvesting structure
• A step well is exactly what
it sounds like- steps down
to a well.
• The earliest step wells date
back to about 550 AD were
developed in India as a
necessity for areas
suffering from torrential
seasonal rains
Bamboo drip irrigation
•In different states of North-Eastern part of India
Bamboo drip irrigation is a common practice.
• The design of the Bamboo pipe for irrigation varies
with variation of rainfall, which reflects the uniqueness
of traditional knowledge system of the local
communities
Traditional Housing:
Vernacular Architecture
•Usually these are called
Vernacular Architecture,
which is an architectural
style and design based on
local needs, availability of
construction materials and
reflecting local traditions.
Traditional agricultural practices
•These practices are followed in selection of crop
varieties, land selection, land preparation, soil fertility,
management, pest and disease management, irrigation,
harvesting, post-harvest management, seed
preservation, etc.
• Moreover there are different tools and implements used
for the purposes
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• There aredifferent shapes and sizes of ploughs and
hoes used for tilling of soil in the country, which varies
from region to region based on soil quality, terrain
condition and the crop used for cultivation.
Traditional agricultural practices
Weather Forecasting/ Prediction
•There are many methods of weather prediction practiced by
the farmers in different parts of the country.
• For example, farmers in Himachal Pradesh believe that if the
honeybee flies toward northern hill there will be no rainfall,
if they fly towards south there will be good rainfall.
• On the other hand, in Rajasthan many local communities
believe that appearance of many butterflies together
indicate a good rain and get better crops.
What is Ayurveda?
Ayurvedais the ancient Indian system of natural and
holistic medicine. When translated from Sanskrit,
Ayurveda means “the science of life” (the Sanskrit root
ayur means “longevity” or “life” and veda means
“science”).
The knowledge of Ayurveda was passed on orally
through a lineage of sages in India until it was collated
into text more than five thousand years ago.
The oldest known texts on Ayurveda are the Charaka
Samhita, Sushruta Samhita, and the Ashtanga
Hrudaya.
Traditional knowledge inhealth and
well being
Homeopathy is a medical
system based on the belief
that the body can cure
itself. Those who practice it
use tiny amounts of natural
substances, like plants and
minerals. They believe
these stimulate the healing
process. It was developed
in the late 1700s in
Germany.
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Traditional knowledge inhealth and
well being
By stimulating the
body‘s various
systems, acupuncture
can help to
resolve pain, and
improve sleep,
digestive function,
and sense of well-
being.
