Indigenous Knowledge Communication in the 21st Century

Indigenous knowledge — the knowledge developed by local people and passed down over generations — is a major, untapped resource for development. In the 21st century indigenous information is transmitted mainly through indigenous communication channels: indigenous organizations, folk media, traditional education, and so forth. Emerging information and communication technology (ICT) is setting the pace for changing, competitive and dynamic local and global information, representing an invaluable vehicle for exchange and sociocultural development and introducing new forms and structures of society that are no longer affected by geographical or time barriers. This paper analyzes current approaches to indigenous knowledge, exchange of indigenous knowledge and various channels of indigenous communication. The authors also explain the impact of ICT on the exchange of indigenous knowledge in
the electronic era.