Documentation & Research

"Indigenous languages are repositories of traditional ecological knowledge, which encompasses a holistic understanding of the environment, including spiritual connections, conservation ethics, and cultural values. – Through their languages, indigenous communities articulate and express their worldviews, cosmologies, and relationships with the natural world. This knowledge is embedded in narratives, myths, songs, and oral traditions, reflecting the intimate bond between indigenous cultures and the environment. – Preserving indigenous languages safeguards this traditional ecological knowledge, enabling future generations to learn from their ancestors' wisdom and adapt it to contemporary sustainability challenges." Isaac Christopher, L. (2023). A Right to Protect Indigenous Languages: A Threat Against Extinction.

The documentation of indigenous languages and knowledge forms the basis for further developments in all sectors, such as education, health, social and natural sciences, art and culture, among others. Of utmost significance remains the participation of indigenous communities in the process of documentation ensuring authenticity and overwriting previous biases. Thus a priority is the building of partnerships between indigenous communities and institutions to support documentation and research actions.

Challenges

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Strategies

Language standardization and development

Actions

  • Create Phonetics and Phonology resources
  • Compile and publish Lexicons (Dictionaries)
  • Create Semantic, syntax and spelling standards

Actors

  • Linguists, Community language experts
  • Linguists, Community language experts
  • Linguists, Community language experts

Document so far omitted history and cultural heritage

Actions

  • Map all Namibian Languages
  • Record oral testimonies and write up (such as history of Chief Fritz Arebeb)

Actors

  • Linguists, Community Leaders
  • Historians, Cultural org, Community leaders

Document indigenous knowledge

Actions

Establish partnerships between communities and knowledge and information institutions to conduct joint valid and relevant documentation of Indigenous knowledge

Actors

Language community

Digitalise documentation for further dissemination and access

Actions

  • Encourage the digitalisation of traditional language artefacts (poems, songs, stories,...)
  • Develop Indigenous language tools

Actors

Language community

Conduct and document Indigenous language and Indigenous knowledge research

Actions

  • Conduct psycholinguistic and sociolinguistic studies to understand language processing in local contexts
  • Support publication of scholarly work on research findings on Indigenous language and Indigenous knowledge

Actors

Language community

Initiatives

1

Hunting with the Ju/'hoansi in the Kalahari: A co-created VR gesture application

The Donkerbos Ju/'hoansi community in Namibia collaborated with researchers from Namibia University of Science and Technology & Aalborg University to create a VR application aimed at preserving their indigenous language and knowledge. The application told a traditional hunting story, narrated by an elder and demonstrated by both an elder and youth, capturing the community's rich oral traditions. The VR experience served as a crucial tool for preserving the Ju/'hoan language, with all instructions and demonstrations delivered in the community's native tongue.