“A science without a common sense or IKSP is like a machine without a conscience” – Datu Migketay

We love acronyms here in the Philippines.
FYI, the ISKP in the quote above stands for 'Indigenous Knowledge System and Practices'.

Indigenous Knowledge or Common Sense as a Science
● Indigenous Knowledge or Common Sense understanding involves a system and a process. It involves a systematic coordination and correlation of the human senses.
● For example, a sound that gets into the EARS build up into the MIND as a concept or idea that acquire meanings according
to the context of time, event and space.
● It settles down into a principle when its positive and negative implication has been argued upon through the verification of the EYES, the NOSE, the skin of the HANDS and the HEART.
● Indigenous Knowledge is finally achieved as a Common Science** when the coordination and interrelationships of the human senses has been constituted, verified and legitimized by peoples’ traditions and experiences.
● IKSP is processed orally, psychologically and physically. (http://talaandigsite.blogspot.com)

This week's mission has come at an opportune time.
I have been meaning to visit the Talaandig tribe in Bukidnon, Philippines for years. I have one of Waway Saway's bamboo flutes at home, it is beautiful, as is he. I was lucky enough to meet Waway when he came to Manila with a mutual friend 4 years ago. He stayed at our place for a night. A wonderful musician (the only filipino to have songs on the famous Putomaya label) and artist, Waway exudes peace, compassion and a strong sense of identity. I met him again last year, at a friend's wedding at their farm in Bukidnon- he was there with fellow musicians from his tribe to play during the festivities.
And next weekend, we have out tickets booked to stay at our favourite farm in Mambatagan, Bukidnon and i am determined to make time to finally visit Waway's home at the foot of Mount Kitanglad whilst we are there.

So, after perusing the sites that alchemy kindly got together for the Learn stage of this mission, I decided that I would pursue some Talaandig-specific research of my own in preparation for my trip. The voices of Talaandig echo Shigwedha's article (http://www.namibian.com.na/index.php?id=28&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=52871&no_cache=1) and the case studies I have read on the CBNRM site.

So, I would like to share this article with you. I came across this on an excellent blog, http://talaandigsite.blogspot.com/, written by none other than Waway's brother, the datu (tribal chief)...


UTILIZING THE COMMON SCIENCE** IN RESOLVING THE COMPLEXITIES OF THE WORLD
(It is important to note, here, that 'common science' is defined as indigenous knowledge as stated in the penultimate bullet
point in list above**)

By DATU MIGKETAY VICTORINO L. SAWAY

Knowledge provides a system that enables humanity to comprehend events and situations about life. It is not a commerce or trade. It is a solution about the complexities of human existence. It is an integrated light
that enables human beings to see the world. It is holistic. Thus, become an instrument to fill gaps concerning the survival of humanity.

Knowledge in the world today is becoming complex. With commerce or trade, it has become expensive and exclusive. The utilization of knowledge as an instrument of authority and power has lead to specialization of
knowledge that eventually created gaps not only among experts but among people and society.

Science is aimed to make knowledge simple and comprehensible. The ultimate science that could resolve the complexities of knowledge in the world today is common sense. As a science, common sense is not expensive, non exclusive but integrated, comprehensive and inclusive. It is liberal and free but more than
sufficient to generate survival of humanity in the world.

Common sense as a common science promotes and develops a system that is logical, practical and universal to human understanding and survival. As a system, the common sense begins with concepts and ideas to
philosophies and principles that are verified by hearing, seeing, touching, and smelling, feeling and tasting. An individual who develops the common sense knows how to think, hear, see, touch, smell, taste and
feel.

The expansion of knowledge based on the common sense is developed according to frameworks that explain the integrity of the human body and its relationship with nature. Through the integrity of
life ways that defines the cultural personality and identity of every society, understanding of human and cultural diversity in the wh*** world is achieved.

Common sense provides a system of analyzing and evaluating situations or events that enable an individual or society to provide appropriate responses or resolutions to conflicts or situations. It provides analytical and logical thinking that lead the simple mind to scientific discoveries and inventions.

Common sense is not a crude knowledge. It is not an obsolete or backward system. It is the father of wisdom that leads to the discoveries of knowledge that is indirectly comprehensible by the ordinary mind.

The knowledge based on the common sense is holistic, integrated, comprehensive and well organized. Its integrity provides explanation about the relationships of the elements of nature and its laws that
regulates the physical and beyond physical existence of living and non-living things.

Finally, common sense constitutes the analytical and logical processes that are necessary to reconcile the diversity of human knowledge and understanding. The significance of common sense cannot be undermined by modern science because any science that is not based on common sense is equivalent to a machine without a conscience.
____________
Datu Migketay Victorino L. Saway is the custodian of the indigenous knowledge and practices of the
Talaandig People of Bukidnon Province, Mindanao Island, in the Philippines. He finished anthropology at Silliman University in
Dumaguete City and has developed his field of expertise as a master and practitioner of indigenous and local cultures. He has been promoting the common sense as a science that enabled human civilization to survive for generations without the constraints of modern machines and
technologies.

I have an English teacher's weakness for metaphors, and I would like to share the following analogy with you. More wisdom from Datu Saway. I think this is a beautiful way of summing up the importance of indigenous knowledge and how it is the very key to understanding our world and the part we play in it:

"Indigenous knowledge is like the rivers that makes up the ocean or like the grain of sands that makes up the shore. It is like an individual person that makes up a family, a community, a nation, a country and a world. With globalization, the individual’s identity is assimilated, integrated and lost. The contribution of local knowledge to global understanding must be recognized and acknowledged... If the small rivers and streams are lost the great ocean will not exist."