Indigenous Peoples as Citizen Scientists

Indigenous Peoples hold important knowledge of their environments. This ancient knowledge is increasingly sought as data for a variety of scientific disciplines and practices including environmental management, ecology,... [ view full abstract ]

Indigenous Peoples hold important knowledge of their environments. This ancient knowledge is increasingly sought as data for a variety of scientific disciplines and practices including environmental management, ecology, ethnobotany, fisheries, forestry, and disaster risk reduction. Many Indigenous communities are not opposed to working with scientists and various international conventions have articulated a role for Indigenous knowledge, particularly traditional ecological knowledge. However, the history of much ‘collaboration’ has created significant barriers to progressing truly inclusive Citizen Science in many countries. Examples from Aotearoa New Zealand will be discussed to show that empowering Indigenous individuals and collectives as Citizen Scientists will require an acceptance of possibly radically different worldviews as well as the acknowledgement of broader issues of justice and ethics.