Indigenous Sacred Science
Indigenous science is the search for knowledge. It includes metaphysics, philosophy and ritual and ceremony practiced by Indigenous peoples both past and present. A core value is creativity; it is an offspring of the spirit and may be expressed through story, art, dance and ceremony. Indigenous science embraces the inherent creativity of nature as the foundation for both knowledge and action with regard to “seeking life.”
Creativity is both the universes’ ordering principle and process. Creativity in all forms is part of the greater flow (constant flux) of creativity in nature. It flows from the implicit order (unseen Otherworld) or inherent potential of the universe, and whatever it produces becomes part of the explicit order (seen universe—this world) of material or energetic expressions. These expressions range from entire galaxies to the quarks and leptons (elementary particles) of the subatomic world.
Acute observation is a foundational methodology of Indigenous science. Observation can be sustained over time, even centuries (expressed linguistically); it is practiced without interference (respect for the creative), and includes the whole of the natural world—the sky, the earth and all living things. The knowledge garnered from observation is transmitted through language, story, art and ceremony.
The ultimate goal of Indigenous science is to use knowledge to restore, maintain or seek balance with the cosmos. Constant motion, or flux, is the idea that every aspect of the universe is in constant motion or movement. Indigenous science is the pursuit of knowledge, not only of the Earth, but also of the cosmos.
In the Indigenous scientific world, the terms “knowledge” and “science” are used interchangeably among Indigenous scientists. Indigenous science includes all knowledge in a universal, holistic context. It is knowledge and creative participation with the natural world in both theory and practice. It is a holistic reflection of reality supported by cumulative knowledge gained through personal experience. True knowing is based on experiencing nature, and possibly the Otherworld, directly. This includes the visible and the invisible. Science is evolutionary – its expression unfolds through the general scheme of the creative process of first insight, immersion, creation and reflection. It is tied to spirit, and is both ecological and integrative.
Native knowledge about nature is firmly rooted in reality, in keen personal observation, interaction, and thought, sharpened by the daily rigors of uncertain survival. Its validity rests largely upon the authority of hard won personal experience. It is enriched by night dreams, contemplation’s, and waking visions. The junction between knowledge and experience is tight, continuous and dynamic, giving rise to “truths” that are likely to be correspondingly intelligent, fluid and vibrantly “alive.”
Indigenous sacred science is the belief in a conscious universe that is alive and undivided in which all parts “merge and unite in one totality.” This undivided whole is not static but rather in a constant state of change and flux. Flux in Indigenous thought, means the visible and invisible, the known and unknown, positive and negative, all of which are continually balancing and rebalancing within a constant state of reciprocity.
Flux is fluid, yet it maintains patterns or cycles. If everything is forever moving and changing, we have to look at the whole to discern developing patterns. The cosmic cycles are a part of the constant motion but have a regular pattern resulting in reoccurrence like seasons and the precession of the equinoxes (the various “ages” with the Great Year of 26,000 years). Constant motion, as it manifests itself in cyclical or repetitive patterns, emphasizes processes. These and many other aspects distinguish it from Western science.