<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Indigenous Knowledge Theft </b>
<i>Western Knowledges And Technologies Stolen From Indigenous Scientists And Scholars</i>
by Tyson Yunkaporta
European science and technology, supposedly what sets the west apart from more "savage" peoples, is merely knowledge stolen from Indigenous peoples throughout history.
Western propaganda has established the view that historically the majority of the world's peoples have been passive recipients of Western science and technology. This has been achieved through silences and fabrications in scientific and historical texts. So let's set the record straight on a few of these "facts".
-Thales (the "father of science") was of Indigenous Phonecian descent, as was Pythagoras.
-Ancient Greek scientific and mathematical knowledge was built in partnership with African scholars from African universities.
-Ptolemy and Constantine were both African, although they are conferred European identities in Western historical texts. Note the picture of Ptolemy above, drawn as a European.
-Most of the famous scientists of the ancient world were Indigenous people, whose names have been westernised in history, eg. Alkindius was really al-Kindi.
-Writing was invented in Africa.
-The decimal point was invented by Hindu people.
-Movable type printing was invented by African Ibn Yunus.
-Many modern engineering concepts come from Northeast Nigeria.
-The Hindu-Arabic numeric system that we use today was introduced to the West when Leonardo of Pisa learned it from scholars at an African university.
-Western textile manufacture techniques (and other methods that enabled the Industrial Revolution) were stolen from Indian people.
-World-wide use of, and western monopolisation of potatoes, cocoa, strawberries, corn, sunflowers and tomatoes are the result of intellectual property theft from Native American botanists and agricultural scientists.
But isn't that all in the past? Not at all. The theft continues, with IMF and GATT used to plunder Indigenous intellectual property worldwide through IPR's that allow Western corporations to steal and own genetic material. Read more about this in my article Intellectual Property .<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>False Protocols </b>
<i>Aboriginal Protocol Perverted With Indigenous Community Protocols Fabricated By Visitors</i>
Non-Indigenous workers entering Indigenous communities should follow local protocols. However, often they are given "gammon protocol" based on colonial mythologies.
Protocols As Stereotypes
"Gammon" in many Aboriginal Englishes and Creoles means false or pretend. So when I talk about gammon protocols, I mean the colonial protocols that are imposed based on generalisations and myths about Aborigines. These perpetuate stereotypes and contribute to communication breakdown between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.
The Three F's
My favourite gammon protocol is "The Three F's". These are Football, Fishing and Family, in that order. In many communities in northern Australia, foreign health, law, and education workers entering the village are told by their foreign managers to limit their conversation with locals to these three topics. The reasoning is that Aboriginal people are incapable of intelligent discourse on any other topic, and therefore will feel more comfortable and equal with outsiders who restrict their discussions to the Three F's.
Eye Contact
Another is the "don't look anybody in the eye" rule. This is based on actual protocol from many Indigenous clans and families. However, this ignores Indigenous diversity and individual identity. In any given community, there may be some people who would be offended by certain types of "staring". But this may depend on the social context, with the same person being offended by somebody averting their eyes. I know an elder who is frightfully offended when people address her while staring at the ground. "Look me in the eye when you talk to me, boy!" she says.
Questioning
At the same level of idiocy we find the classic "Don't ask questions, because there are no questions in Aboriginal languages". Although it may be true that many native languages de-emphasise questioning in communication, there are also many others that are very strong on social registers involving questions and answers. For example, I know that Wik Mungkan is peppered with who, what, where, when, and "how come" questions. Questioning is frequent, although it may not always be necessary to answer truthfully...<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Future After Aboriginal Genocide
Futurist's Vision Of A Non-Indigenous Monocultural Future
<i>Western Knowledges And Technologies Stolen From Indigenous Scientists And Scholars</i>
by Tyson Yunkaporta
European science and technology, supposedly what sets the west apart from more "savage" peoples, is merely knowledge stolen from Indigenous peoples throughout history.
Western propaganda has established the view that historically the majority of the world's peoples have been passive recipients of Western science and technology. This has been achieved through silences and fabrications in scientific and historical texts. So let's set the record straight on a few of these "facts".
-Thales (the "father of science") was of Indigenous Phonecian descent, as was Pythagoras.
-Ancient Greek scientific and mathematical knowledge was built in partnership with African scholars from African universities.
-Ptolemy and Constantine were both African, although they are conferred European identities in Western historical texts. Note the picture of Ptolemy above, drawn as a European.
-Most of the famous scientists of the ancient world were Indigenous people, whose names have been westernised in history, eg. Alkindius was really al-Kindi.
-Writing was invented in Africa.
-The decimal point was invented by Hindu people.
-Movable type printing was invented by African Ibn Yunus.
-Many modern engineering concepts come from Northeast Nigeria.
-The Hindu-Arabic numeric system that we use today was introduced to the West when Leonardo of Pisa learned it from scholars at an African university.
-Western textile manufacture techniques (and other methods that enabled the Industrial Revolution) were stolen from Indian people.
-World-wide use of, and western monopolisation of potatoes, cocoa, strawberries, corn, sunflowers and tomatoes are the result of intellectual property theft from Native American botanists and agricultural scientists.
But isn't that all in the past? Not at all. The theft continues, with IMF and GATT used to plunder Indigenous intellectual property worldwide through IPR's that allow Western corporations to steal and own genetic material. Read more about this in my article Intellectual Property .<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>False Protocols </b>
<i>Aboriginal Protocol Perverted With Indigenous Community Protocols Fabricated By Visitors</i>
Non-Indigenous workers entering Indigenous communities should follow local protocols. However, often they are given "gammon protocol" based on colonial mythologies.
Protocols As Stereotypes
"Gammon" in many Aboriginal Englishes and Creoles means false or pretend. So when I talk about gammon protocols, I mean the colonial protocols that are imposed based on generalisations and myths about Aborigines. These perpetuate stereotypes and contribute to communication breakdown between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.
The Three F's
My favourite gammon protocol is "The Three F's". These are Football, Fishing and Family, in that order. In many communities in northern Australia, foreign health, law, and education workers entering the village are told by their foreign managers to limit their conversation with locals to these three topics. The reasoning is that Aboriginal people are incapable of intelligent discourse on any other topic, and therefore will feel more comfortable and equal with outsiders who restrict their discussions to the Three F's.
Eye Contact
Another is the "don't look anybody in the eye" rule. This is based on actual protocol from many Indigenous clans and families. However, this ignores Indigenous diversity and individual identity. In any given community, there may be some people who would be offended by certain types of "staring". But this may depend on the social context, with the same person being offended by somebody averting their eyes. I know an elder who is frightfully offended when people address her while staring at the ground. "Look me in the eye when you talk to me, boy!" she says.
Questioning
At the same level of idiocy we find the classic "Don't ask questions, because there are no questions in Aboriginal languages". Although it may be true that many native languages de-emphasise questioning in communication, there are also many others that are very strong on social registers involving questions and answers. For example, I know that Wik Mungkan is peppered with who, what, where, when, and "how come" questions. Questioning is frequent, although it may not always be necessary to answer truthfully...<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Future After Aboriginal Genocide
Futurist's Vision Of A Non-Indigenous Monocultural Future