Definition And Meaning Of The Term Indigenous - 2137 Words

Defining the term Indigenous is a process that while well-received and widely produced, is somewhat problematic as there are many variations, and even some suggestion that a relatively static definition does nothing to honor neither the meaning of the term nor the communities of peoples it represents. Understanding the variations in form and meaning are important to recognizing how the term is used in relationship to the user and the context in which it is produced. Indeed, misunderstanding and misuse are part of the de-conflating process of decolonizing language, and sometimes discernment before definition is required. Because of the objectification of Indigenous peoples, and the displacement of their relationship with their lands,†¦show more content†¦Hence, to have a concept of indigenous as being defined by its localness (Tsui, 2004) is too simplistic, as indigenous knowledge and indigenous people are always such within a power relationship in a globalized world, and one defined by its colonial history. Hence those who wish to steer clear of such a global relationship may be better to use the term ‘endogenous’.† (Jackson, 2012) This problematizing that is required to unpack the layers of history and mystery that have been a consequence of the confounding nature of colonialism is a process that is productive and needs to continue; the same scholar concludes, â€Å"Anything regarded as ‘indigenous’ cannot be considered frozen in time, although often it is. ‘Indigenous’ knowledge is not an artefact to be preserved (Briggs and Sharp, 2004), nor one that can easily be packaged for Western consumption (Briggs, 2005). Rather it is part of a dynamic within a cultural interface that constantly produces new knowledge and social forms albeit through geopolitical power dynamics that have a profound effect on this production.† (Jackson, 2012) What Jackson does not concede however, is that in the same way t hat he describes ‘Indigenous† as a â€Å"dynamic within a cultural interface†, endogenousness is also part of that dynamic - it is part of Indigenous interconnectedness as internalized colonialism is one of the most pervasive and deepest