The Living Knowledge Project is an Australian-based research project that was developed to find the most effective way to integrate indigenous knowledge into the secondary science curriculum. The page that I have linked to here is dedicated to the history of ‘both ways’ education, where students are exposed to a mixture of western and indigenous education.
https://livingknowledge.anu.edu.au/html/educators/07_bothways.htm
Great post Jacey! It is great to see that this type of two way learning is being advocated for. I like the metaphor of a lagoon where salt water and fresh water meet. There is no reason that these two knowledge systems, Indigenous and Western, cannot coexist. As a matter of fact, they have been coexisting, but not necessarily blended together as in the salt and freshwater mixing metaphor, but more so two parallel paths that Indigenous individuals go between of their own accord. It is nice to see the blend of the knowledge systems happening as it would afford Indigenous people the ability to advance their knowledge without having to make a choice of which ‘bucket’ to fill up first. As of now it is not easy for an Indigenous person to advance their life in the western knowledge system of academia, while also maintaining a connection to their land, their culture and their people. Finding a way to blend these two systems would enhance the lives of many Indigenous people as they would be able to maintain a better sense of who they are and their sense of belonging while simultaneously advancing their life and careers through academia.