Traditional Knowledges as sources of information
Researchers have benefited greatly from bridging Traditional Knowledges
and the predominant Western systems of knowledge keeping. For example,
Noongar (western Australia), Wiradjuri (eastern Australia), Yolngu
(northern Australia) Warlpiri (central Australia) and many more Nations,
have been specifically acknowledged by modern astrophysicists as keepers
of navigational and calendar systems, as well as notable astrophysical
phenomena of cyclical and individual incidence (Forster, 2021; Norris,
2016).
Indigenous genetic knowledge has been demonstrated in Indigenous
marriage systems. Briefly, traditional marriage is often determined by
the moiety to which a person belongs (Turner & McDonald, 2010, p. 23).
These moieties have their own names in their Nation’s language, but may
be referred to in English as “skin groups” in some regions; these
moieties have strong connectedness with Country for which members of
that group are responsible (Turner & McDonald, 2010, pp. 25, 28, 30).
Gamilaraay academic Dr. Jarrod Field demonstrated mathematically the
genetic benefits of the Gamilaraay traditional marriage system (Field,
2021). Such systems, which differ between Aboriginal Nations, prevent
“wrong-way” marriages (Turner & McDonald, 2010, pp. 25, 29),
resulting in lower than expected relatedness in contemporary populations
of such small size that western tradition would assume the opposite
(McWhirter et al., 2014).
Through the demonstrated anthropocentric Knowledge and given the close
relationship of Indigenous peoples in Australia to Country, it is
understood that Traditional Knowledges carry in-depth scientific
understanding for the complexity of the environment. In cases where the
oral history of an area can be shared, Traditional Knowledges can
accurately indicate changes in weather or resources use, or add to our
understanding of inter-species interactions, particularly for species
that are poorly studied. In the context of determining the drivers
and/or impact of ecological change, there is no doubt that sedaDNA
studies would benefit from the inter-connectedness with millennia of
oral history and Traditional Knowledges.