Level Growth Support of Indigenous Knowledge
Indiginous peoples globally are working to protect local wisdom and knowledge, restore the rituals that are linked to that wisdom.
The knowledge is the foundation of the way to protect, and live with nature.
Level Growth and partners work to support local, regional, national, and international legislation to promote pride and respect, protect cultural practices, community innovation, diversity, creativity, and expression.
The solutions are complex, to work to effectively support ancient wisdom, and promote contemporary expression.
Level Growth orchestrated meetings in villages and communities with local leaders, elders, government officials, NGO representations, and industry managers in-
Java, Sumatra, Kalimantan (South, East, Central, and North East), Bali, and Sulaweisi.
These meetings are designed to support local activites, advance technology while respecting culture, provide education and human rights support, promote best practice agriculture, and promote and provide environmental management in areas that are vast land masses, and can have potentially profound impact on naturalresource conservation and green house gas emmissions.
Meetings are held on site. It is expected that multiple visits by our team over months to years are required to gain the trust of local leaders before substantial change can be initiated. These visits involve respectful listening and efforts to understand local customs and desires prior to designing systems that will facilitate education, improved health, and opportunity for future generations, while respecting and conserving natural resources.
Level Growth provides organizations with the expertise and support they need to ensure they have a positive social and environmental impact. We specialize in helping organizations implement sustainable solutions by providing the organization with the required support structure. Level Growth facilitates Governments, NGOs and Corporations' cooperation for a common good.
Jim Else, Chris Wille, Randy Rudderman, Bob Mullen
Level Growth Team
Christina Stevens, Randy Rudderman, Bob Mullen
United Nations - Level Growth Team
UNESCO - Building Indigenous Knowledge into Climate Change Assessment and Adaptation
"Indigenous knowledge and its contributions to the climate change knowledge base are attracting increasing attention worldwide. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, in its Fifth Assessment Report, concluded that these knowledge systems, “including indigenous peoples’ holistic views of community and environment, are a major resource for adapting to climate change”.
Local observations and knowledge of weather and climate variability also provide important insights into climate change impacts. However, they “have not been used consistently in existing adaptation efforts”.
The roundtable brought together experts working on climate change assessments to update on the status of indigenous knowledge as it is reflected within major climate change assessments and research initiatives, as well as to provide updates on major indigenous initiatives on climate change.
With the findings pertaining to indigenous knowledge in the recent IPCC 5AR and the discussions at the UNFCCC on traditional knowledge and climate change adaptation, this represents a pivotal moment to link key institutions and initiatives that have contributed to this emerging space and have an open, strategic discussion about next steps."
Dayak
The Dayak are known as the headhunters of Borneo (Kalimantan). The Dayak tribes developed farming systems that prevents the forest from being "overthrown." Their traditional wisdom serves to use nature without leaving it "hurt." They practiced many rituals, believing that illness was thought to be loss of the soul, from giving offense to the earth.
The Dayaks consider Orangutans to be the equal of humans, and are treated with similar respect. The Dayak are described as grateful and kind, honest, and truthful in dealings. Births, marriages, and burials however could not be properly celebrated without the heads of enemies.
Dayak used tattoos as are and descriptions of experience. Dayak used blow guns with hand mixed poisons to hunt monkeys, squirrels, wild pigs, deer, pythons, and bear. If killed by poison dart, the dart area was removed and the animal roasted over fire not to spread the poison.
Today many are Christian or Muslim, and still follow important rituals.