Restoring indigenous knowledge systems through indigenous research methodology

Abstract

Indigenous Research methodology is an emerging research methodology where Indigenous scholars research about their own people in their Indigenous communities. Privileging Indigenous epistemologies and methodologies is an outcome of a long struggle to put and end to Indigenous groups being used as objects and subjects for research. Like many other Indigenous Peoples in the world, the Igorot Indigenous Peoples of the Philippines have been subject of research for hundreds of years by outside researchers that generally labelled them as savage, barbaric and uncivilised people. Drawing from Indigenous research methodologies developed by Indigenous scholars, the paper will explore the Indigenous ways of knowing and inquiry of the Igorots in the Province of Benguet, Philippines. It will describe the processes of researching in an Igorot community working within the culture, maintaining respect and reciprocity in an attempt to put the research participants the main authorities in the research. It further identifies ways on how Indigenous Research can be a tool in restoring Indigenous knowledge systems and practices.