SCIENCE,

TECHNOLOGY,
AND SOCIETY
 Indigenous Science
and Technology in the
Philippines
Objectives:
At the end of this lesson, the students should be able to:
discuss the concept of indigenous science; and
d isc uss the c ontrib utions of ind ig enous sc ienc e in the
d evelop m ent of sc ienc e a nd tec hnolog y in the
Philippines
 preservation
legacy folk culture beliefs

local tribe

community ancient

native INDIGENOUS tradition

ethnic
history

diversity nomad people

practices ritual
values knowledge
 Indigenous knowledge
• Local or indigenous knowledge refers to the
cumulative and complex bodies of knowledge, know-
how, practices and representations that are
maintained and developed by local communities, who
have long histories of interaction with the natural
environment (UNESCO, 2012).
 INDIGENENOUS SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY
❑ It is an indigenous science composed of traditional
knowledge practiced and valued by people and
communities.
❑ The indigenous technologies emerge from the implicate
order to reflect the art of skills, creativity, in which the
bodies of knowledge employ the precision and vigor.
❑ It helps the people to understand the natural environment
and in coping with everyday life.
Indigenous Knowledge System
Som e exa m p les of ind ig enous knowled g e tha t a re ta ug ht a nd p ra c ticed b y the
indigenous people are:

predicting weather conditions and seasons using knowledge in observing animals'

behavior and celestial bodies
using herbal medicine
preserving foods
classifyng plants and animals into families and groups based on cultural properties
preserving and selecting good seeds for planting
using indigenous technology in daily lives
building local irrigation systems
classifying different types of soil for planting based on cultural properties
producing wines and juices from tropical fruits
keeping the custom of growing plants and vegetables in the yard
 (Superstitious beliefs)

“ When birds are seen

flying by group, it means
there is a storm coming in
that area.”

“ If a moon is seen having a ring surrounds it, means there “ If the sky seen as bloody red, means there will be eclipse
will be rain or storm coming. “ or war is coming.”
“Herbal medicine are still within us. These are discovered and made from the knowledge of our
ancestors. Ideas can be taught and passed to the next generation.”
ittoyom- rice cooking, oppaya- meat/vegetable
cooking , immoso- water storage
 → practice of motivating people by
influencing their thoughts and behaviours.

→ it influences a person’s desire and

willingness to cooperate and produces an
emotional response.

→ making sensible decisions and choices.

→ a willingness to think about things that you

don’t understand.
 Indigenous People’s Rights Act of 1997
(IPRA) (RA 8371)

• An Act to recognize, protect and promote the rights of

Indigenous Cultural Communities/Indigenous Peoples,
creating a National Commission on Indigenous Peoples,
establishing implementing mechanisms, appropriating
funds therefor, and for other purposes.
 Indigenous Science
• It is part of the indigenous knowledge system practiced
by different groups of people and early civilizations.
• Indigenous Science includes everything from metaphysics
to philosophy and various practical technologies
practiced by indigenous peoples both past and
present.
• It has also developed diverse structures and contents
through the interplay between the society and
environment.
Pawilen developed a simple framework for understanding indigenous
science. Accordingly, indigenous science is composed of traditional
knowledge that uses science process skills and guided by community
values and culture.
Indigenous Science
1.) Indigenous science uses science process skills such as observing comparing,
classifying, measuring, problem solving, inferring, communicating, and predicting.
2.) Indigenous science is guided by culture and community values such as the
following:
The land is a source of life. It is a precious gift from the creator.
The Ea rth is reverred a s "Mother Ea rth." It is the orig in of their id entity
a s people.
All living and nonliving things are interconnectedand interdependent
with each other.
Hum a n b eing s a re stewa rd s or trustee of the la nd a nd other na tura l
resources. They have a responsibility to preserve it.
Nature is a friend to human beings - it needs respect and proper care
Indigenous Science
3.) Indigenous science is composed of traditional knowledge
practiced and valued by people and communities such as ethno-
biology, ethno-medicine, indigenous farming methods, and folk
astronomy.

• Indigenous science is important in the development of science

and technology in the Philippines.
 INDIGENOUS TECHNOLOGY
ETHNOMEDICINE / ETHNOMEDICAL TECHNIQUE

• The wide range of health care system, herbs and food to heal a
disease
• Traditional Chinese medicine like herbal therapy, acupressure,
acupuncture
• Use of ayurvedic medicine such as oils, massage as laxatives to
help restore a person’s harmony, balance and cleanse the body
• Ethnomedical techniques include yoga, Taichi, meditation,
sorcery/magical incantations, dance and music, aromatherapy
INDIGENOUS FARMING METHOD/TECHNOLOGY
>>Five Indigenous Farming Practices
1. Agroforestry

• Blending agricultural with forestry techniques, this

farming system helps control temperature, sunlight
exposure and susceptible to wind, hail and rain.
• Provides a diversified range of products such as foods,
firewood, timber, medicine, reduce erosion and storing
carbon.
INDIGENOUS FARMING METHOD/TECHNOLOGY
2. Crop Rotation

• Practice of growing different crops on the same

land, no bed of seed the same crop in succeeding
seasons.
• The practice increase crop rotation in successive
seasons.
INDIGENOUS FARMING METHOD/TECHNOLOGY
3. Mixed Intercropping

• It is a system of cropping in which farmers sow more than

two crops at the same time.
• The farmers can maximize land use while reducing the
risks associated with single crop failure.
• It creates biodiversity which attracts variety of beneficial
predatory insects to minimize pests, increase organic
matter, fumigate the soil and suppress weed growth.
INDIGENOUS FARMING METHOD/TECHNOLOGY
4. Polyculture

• Polyculture systems involve growing many plant of different

species in the same area, often in a way that initiates nature.
• It promotes diet diversity in local communities, provides better
soil quality less soil erosion and most stable yields than
monoculture system.
• It improves water conservation, provide essential ecosystem
services.
• It increases food security and conserve natural resources.
INDIGENOUS FARMING METHOD/TECHNOLOGY
5. Water Harvesting

• It involves a variety of method such as collecting water

from roof tops, from swollen streams and river during
monsoon seasons, or from artificially constructed
earthquake.
• It ensures that farmers have substantial amount of
water stored up in case of drought or limited rainfall
thus sustain food security.
FOLK ASTRONOMY
• Study how ancient cultures interpret, used and viewed the
heavenly bodies (e.g. sun, sky, moon, phases of the moon,
seasons, weather) in regards to daily life.
• Stars - The stars to determine the weather and when it was
time to farm
• For the Bagobo, the appearance of Balatik in the night sky in
December signaled the beginning of Kaingin.
• Marara, another constellation where they could see the
resemblance of man with one hand and one foot signifies
the planting season.
FOLK ASTRONOMY
• Pogot, a star in Bicol used as a sign for fishing and
incoming storms.
• Soag, a four stars that resemble a four side figure,
signals the beginning of night time.
• Torong, three stars that show an approaching storm.
• Sipat and Tudong known as kentan, conducted by an
ethnic group in the Cordillera to bless rice seedlings.
INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE ADVANCES MODERN
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
• The medicinal properties of plants have been instrumental in
pharmacological development.
• The active ingredient in the pain reliever Aspirin was first
discovered by the Indigenous people.
• The TEK (Traditional Ecological Knowledge), the cumulative
body knowledge of ecological relationship, provided insight
into environmental change, wildlife population monitoring,
sustainable harvesting practices, behavioral ecology and
relationship and the like.
Thank you.