| 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. |
