The Challenge: Colonial credentialing systems universally recognize Western validation mechanisms while frequently framing millennia-old Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) as “unrecognized” or “informal.” This perpetuates a fundamental injustice: the refusal to recognize
Indigenous Recognition Systems (IRS) themselves—the sophisticated, community-governed protocols for validating competence and conferring legitimacy that predate and function independently of formal institutions.
The Solution: Recognition Sovereignty: This session introduces the Indigenous Recognition Systems (IRS) framework as a decolonial model for justice. It argues for a paradigm shift: from seeking recognition for Indigenous knowledge (e.g., through Recognition of Prior Learning, RPL) to demanding recognition of indigenous practices shaping economic sectors (e. g. Traditional Health Practicioners) to interfacing with legacy Qualificaiton Frameworks
Format:Conversation triggered by the above prompt. Insights and reflections will be leverage to inform policy reforms on IKS in other regions (Africa, Asia) where IKS is also a topic of debate.
Bonus Track:A booklet about "Protocols for non-indigenous people working with indigenous knowledge" will be shared with all participants.
