Academic Insights into Promoting Indigenous Knowledge and Culture

Abstract

Indigenous knowledge is multi-dimensional encompassing the beliefs, practices, arts, spirituality, and other forms of traditional and cultural experiences that belong to indigenous communities globally. A university in Fiji has established a special Centre for iTaukei Studies (CIS) to preserve and recognize the knowledge of the indigenous people of Fiji commonly known as the iTaukei. The Centre apart from its cultural dimension principally in the form of songs, proverbs, stories, folklore, practices and rituals has adopted the western system of disseminating knowledge through publications, text books and teacher education programs. This paper presents a scholarly analysis of the historical origin of the Centre and the programs offered by it in promoting equal opportunity for the iTaukei students' access to formal as well as conservative education. While maintaining the importance of preserving the originality of the indigenous cultural identity and practices the paper will also highlight how the infusion of the cultures of the indigenous people and that of the Indo-Fijians, who have co-existed together for over 100 years have shaped the unique multicultural landscape in Fiji. (Indigenous, iTaukei, cultural identity, multicultural and traditions)