One of the central themes in Rundstrom’s text on GIS, Indigenous Peoples, and Epistemological Diversity is the idea that indigenous epistemologies and current GIS technologies are inherently incompatible. He cites the fundamental difference in the western world’s definition and understanding of energy and matter to that of the indigenous peoples as well as differences in temporal change as two of the reasons for this. I immediately connected this to my research topic for this course, geospatial ontologies. Epistemologies are concerned with how one procures knowledge while ontologies more are concerned with defining the nature of being. Both work to inform us on how we’ve come understand what we do. More specifically geospatial ontologies aid us in the defining and the reasoning of real world spatial phenomena.
Though I agree with Rundstrom’s point that indigenous people’s geographic knowledge should be separated from GIS for ethical purposes (and I am not advocating the disenfranchising of indigenous communities by any means), I disagree with the idea that they are fundamentally incompatible. By utilizing indigenous knowledge into geospatial ontologies (perhaps creating indigenous specific geospatial ontologies) I think it is possible to combine the two. This will not be achieved without difficulty since our current GIS framework is centered on the Western world view, as specified by Rundstrom. However, I think that by acknowledging this we have the potential to develop a new framework where a new understanding of environment may be incorporated.
Rundstrom very well may argue that my position towards this is part of the problem and that I am a symptom of the insensitivity of the western world. I would argue that since 1995 we have made advances in GIS, GIScience, and the world’s valuation of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK). On behalf of both parties, whom ought to find common ground and work together to protect the environment, these two world views must be integrated and I think GIS is the most feasible platform to achieve this.
-BannerGrey