Indigenous Knowledge among Shiro Meda Dorze Community: The case of weaving

Abstract

Indigenous knowledge (IK) is generally understood as knowledge which is unique to a given culture, society or community and which is deeply rooted in cultural traditions, values and belief systems. Indigenous knowledge includes the whole range of tangible and non-tangible entities of human experiences. As it is an important part of a national knowledge system, it should be protected and developed. It provides effective alternatives to Western knowledge. Some scholars from social anthropology, sociology, history and other related fields have studied the indigenous knowledge systems. However, studies on the indigenous knowledge of the diverse ethnic groups and its contribution for development are limited. A lot of people don’t know why this knowledge is the base for our development. It is an endangered species because no body cares. Therefore, a study of indigenous knowledge of the diverse ethnic groups is an important area to be explored. This study is about Indigenous Knowledge of Shiro Meda Dorze Community and its Contribution for Development. The objective of the study was to identify the basic characteristics of indigenous knowledge, to examine its contribution for development, and its possibilities and constraints in the context of diverse ethnic groups of Ethiopia. Hence, relevant data were collected through a combination of primary and secondary sources of data. The primary sources include observation, key informant interview, in-depth personal interview, focus group discussions and case method. The collected data were analyzed and interpreted; based on the analysis, summary and conclusion were presented.