Documenting Traditional KnowledgeP.Quek

Training Workshop on Forest BiodiversityConservation and Management of Forest Genetic ResourcesKuala Lumpur, Malaysia 5 - 16 June 2006

Documenting Traditional Knowledge

It is important that the process is not a one sided approach where TK is studied without gain to the communities

The TK Journal Method

A paper by the Scientist about the TK collected

Formal Journal

Interaction between Farmer and Scientist

Interaction

PQuek

The TK Journal Method

A paper by the Scientist about the TK collected

Formal Journal

The Farmer’s Journal

Interaction

A paper by the Farmer in Farmer’s own language

TK Journal

PQuek

The TK Journal Method

A paper by the Scientist about the TK collected

Formal Journal

Re-using Knowledge

Interaction

A paper by the Farmer in Farmer’s own language

TK Journal

PQuek

The TK Journal MethodMerging of Knowledge

TK Journal Formal Journal

tim

e

tim

e

citation

PQuek

Oral transmission of Knowledge

Knowledge is embedded in songs, poetry, dances, practices, skills and more….

Knowledge Holder

Recipient

Situation/Time

MaterialWhere one component is missing knowledge erosion results

A missing component

Knowledge holder

Recipient

Situation

Material

Outcome

Knowledge is

a story

not needed

threatened

lost

SBC TK DOCUMENTATION

ENDORSMENT(POLITICAL/SOCIAL)

Awareness workshop for the community

Criteria development and community agrees

to awareness visit

CBO MEMBERS APPOINTMENT

ACCEPTANCE BY COMMUNITYWorkshop to develop

vision and mission of the project and action

plan for year one Identification of rolesof members and

capacity building touse ICT tools

ACTIONPLANIMPLEMENTATIONWorkshop to build

capacity for selected activities and TK documentation FOLLOW-UP Evaluation of

progress, sharing ofexperiences and way

forward

Conservation and use

Ethnobotanicalgarden

documentationTraditional knowledge

Knowledge base for the K-economy

Local educationsystem

Skills and equipments

Customs and traditions

Livelihoods

BusinessQualifications/Recognition

Resource Rights

EmploymentContinuing education

Ecotourism

Biotechnology

Useful plants and animals

Benefits sharing

P.Quek

Intellectual Property Rights

Animal Genepool

Traditional knowledge of genetic resources and the K-economy

Local community education curriculum

Holistic Conservation

*Discussion on the evolving knowledge

When I was young my father taught me to keep time accurate by winding the watch and today I pass down the knowledge of keeping time accurate to my children to inform them to change the batteries in their watches and to their children probably the knowledge of keeping time accurate is different, they will probably synchronize with an atomic clock on the Internet.

• 50 families

• And about 200+ resident

Developing useful plant inventory

Total Plants: 435

Use as food

Use for medicine

Other uses

*Number of plants 144 129 237

*Percentage % 33.1 29.7 54.5

* Figures include plants with more than one use

Parts of Plant usedNumber of plants

involvedPercentage %*

Fruit (include fruits eaten by animals and birds)

157 36.1

Trunk/stem 148 34.0Leaf 140 32.2Root 39 9.0Flower 3 0.7Others (sap, latex, shoots etc are included here)

87 20.0

Ref number Local name Common name Author Date code Time File name

A3300 Jering Jering Yok Sat Anak Kiyah 05-Sep-02 BS 05.01" A3300BSa

A3400 Cimomok Bermong Wak Sian Binti Yok Tek 05-Sep-02 BX 02.34" A3400BXa

A3600 Kundang Murni Anak Sagali 05-Sep-02 BS 01.57" A3600BSa

A3800 Pisang Telei Cematuk Nana Binti Kerkit 05-Sep-02 BX 07.35" A3800BXa

A4000 Gapah Gapah Leha Binti Kiyah 05-Sep-02 BX 04.21" A4000BXa

A3900 Rambai Rami Bersik Binti Wan 05-Sep-02 BX 04.03" A3900BXa

A67009 Tumbuhan Utama Batin Ek Bin Desing 07-Oct-02 BX 30.36" A6700BXa

A6600Ethnoplants Kanak-kanak Kanak-kanak BS

08.50": A6600BSa

A4400 Pemulih Cikgu Gantang Bin Bilang 10-Sep-02 BX 04.25" A4400BXa

A6000 Bajak Papon Binti Kelek 09-Sep-02 BS 02.23" A6000BSa

A6100 Terong Dayak Terong Satut Nyah Binti Kelek 09-Sep-02 BS 02.18" A6100BSa

A62005 Tumbuhan Utama Rasip A/L Napin 16-Sep-02 BX 15.34" A6200BXa

Members of the Penan community of Mulu learning about field documentation, use of digital camera and pressing herbarium specimens as part of the documentation process on the useful plants used by the community.

Pho

tos:

Sar

awak

Bio

dive

rsity

Cen

tre

Ethnobotanical garden

Community Nursery

Protecting TK

• For who?

Impact pathway with globalization

• IPR in relation to TK• Accessibility of TK

TK Village

Education, Research & Developmentinfrastructure

TK University

TK Village

"Free trade agreements do not recognise the rights of Indigenous peoples, nor do they protect our traditional knowledge. Furthermore, they promote the interests of the market above collective rights."

IIFB opening statement at the fourth meeting of the Convention on Biological Diversity ad hoc open-ended working group on access and benefit sharing ( Granada, 30 January-3 February 2006). http://ipcb.org/pipermail/ipcb-net_ipcb.org/ 2006-February/000043.html

Bird’s eyes

You need IPR to protect your

valuable knowledge

After sharing there is possibility that 1:10,000

plant will have commercial value

You need money to protect your

rights

IPR and the community

TK Solicitors Ltd

By P.Quek