SELECTED INDIGENOUS SCIENCE AND

TECHNOLOGY
Indigenous knowledge is one that is embedded in the cultural traditions of
regional, indigenous, or local communities. This knowledge system is
passed on orally and is evident in their stories, poems, and songs. It
connote traditional and non-scientific knowledge includes superstitious
beliefs and practices which maybe products of human imagination.
However, these products may also become the foundation of people’s
creativity, originality, and inventiveness.

1. Embedded in the daily life experience of young children as they grow

up.
2. Practiced by the members of the community
3. Parents and other folks served as the first teachers and their methods
of teaching are very effective in transmitting cultural knowledge in the
mind of the children.
4. Lessons they learned are intimately interwoven with their culture and
the environment
5. Lessons are comprised of good values and life stories of people on their
daily struggles.
6. Views about nature and their reflections on their experiences in daily life
are evident in their stories, poems and songs.

INDIGENOUS SCIENCE

Indigenous science is a product of indigenous knowledge perfected

by people through life experiences. It is the use of science process
skills guided by community culture and values composed of
traditional/indigenous knowledge.
These cultural beliefs therefore can be good foundation for developing
positive values toward learning and doing science and in bringing science
in a personal level. Indigenous science is composed of traditional
knowledge that uses science process skills and guided by community
values and culture.

INDIGENOUS TECHNOLOGY

Indigenous technologies, on the other hand, are processes or products

resulted from studying indigenous science. It is designed and fabricated
based on the culture, tradition and needs of a people and which is
adopted for use in the environment of those people.
While some indigenous sciences and technologies are already obsolete,
their importance lies in that they helped early communities in
understanding the natural environment and in coping with their everyday
lives. More so, these are part of our rich and unique cultural heritage.

INDIGENOUS SCIENCE
A. Herbal Medicine and Traditional Health Practices
Years before the arrival of the Spaniards in the Philippines, the use of
medicinal plants was the common way of treating ailments and there were
several books that compiled these medicinal plants. Since ancient times
up to this day, medicinal plants have been used for treatment in most
countries.

In fact, the Department of Health approved 10 medicinal plants to prevent

and treat certain diseases.

1. Lagundi (Vitexnegundo) – Cough and asthma

2. Sambong (Blumeabalsamifera L.) – Anti-urolithiasis (kidney stones)
3. Ampalaya (Momordicacharantia L.) – Lowering of blood sugar and
anti-diabetes
4. Garlic (Allium sativum) – Anti-cholesterol
5. Guava (Psidiumguajava) – Oral/skin antiseptic
6. Tsaang-gubat (Carmona cetusa) – Mouthwash
7. Yerba-Buena (Menthaarvensis) – Analgesic or anti-pyretic
8. Niyug-niyogan (Quisaualisindica) – Anti-helminthic
9. Acapulco (Cassia alata) – Antifungal
10. Ulasimang-bato (Peperomiapellucida)- Anti-hyperurisemia

Thanks to our ancestors who carefully observed and utilized these plants.
Truly, the development of the modern medicine is based on the practices
of plant-based traditional medicine, a hundred of years of belief and
observation.

We also have a long list of traditional

health practices that some of us still
perform up to this day. We have hilot to
treat sprains and fractures, tawas to
determine the cause and nature of
sudden illnesses through the use of
potassium alum, and many more. One
prominent traditional practice is tuli. It
was found out that this practice is not
religious in origin. It precedes the
Spanish colonial era and was done to
celebrate a boy’s coming of age.

B. Food Preservation

Ages-old food preservation techniques include drying,smoking, cooling,

freezing, fermenting, salting,pickling, and canning. Drying and smoking
are one of the most ancient methods of food preservation. It works
because it removes much of the food's water and therefore prevent
microbial activity as we all know now

C. Classifying Soils
One of the indigenous practices of early Filipinos is classifying soils
for planting. Criteria used by early Filipino farmers in soil classification are
their experiences supported by their ability to observe attributes of soil
resource. This is their way to identify the best use, and appropriate
management practices of the soil resource.

D. Weather Observations
Ancient people incorporate animal behavior with weather conditions and
seasons. Here in the Philippines, it was then believed that when moths fly
at night, it is a sign that it will rain. Also, if a chicken walks in the rain, the
rain will stop. There is a belief that if you think that it will rain you just need
to offer rice and egg so that rain will stop or will not happen in that day.
These have no scientific basis. This may be based on coincidence to the
point that they have associated it to weather conditions.

HERE ARE SOME OTHER EXAMPLE OF INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE

AND SCIENCE:

Knowledge in observing animal behavior to predict weather

conditions and seasons
Traditional health habits practices
Preservation and selection of good seeds for planting
Building irrigation system
Classifying different types of soil for planting
Making wines and juices from fruits
Local methods of growing vegetables in the yard
Indigenous methods of calculating and estimating
Knowledge on mineral resources found in the community
Making products such as vinegar, cheese and nata de coco.

EXAMPLES OF INDIGENOUS TECHNOLOGY

A. Yoyo
A toy consisting an axle connected to two disks and a string looped
around the axle.-
It was an invention by Pedro Flores, a
Filipino undergraduate law student,
but even if the inventor was Filipino, it
was mass produced in America. While
he was working as a porter in a
Santa Monica, California hotel, he
demonstrated various yo-yo tricks to
the guests. Flores made a key
innovation in the yo-yo.

This toy had a significant role in the

Spanish era. It wasn’t just a toy to
play around and have fun, but it was
actually used by our brave men to
fight against intruders and Spaniards
before.

B. ERYTHROMYCIN

Abelardo Aguilar, a Scientist from the Philippines discovered the

Erythromycin in 1949. Dr. Abelardo was testing samples of soils from his
backyard and isolated micro-organisms – a bacteria that lead to the
development of the Antibiotic called Erythromycin.

This antibiotic produced by the Streptomyces erythreus found in the soil

that used to treat and prevent a wide range of infection. He sent it this to
his employer in the U.S. to separate the strain but unfortunately did not get
the credit for the discovery.
 C. PATIS OR FISH SAUCE

Ruperta David, who was

popularly known as Aling
Tentay was the woman
behind the discovery of
this condiment.

It all started when her

family began a dried fish
business shortly after the
war. She accidentally
discovered it in 1940s
when she noticed that
that some of the salted
fish she stored in a jar
turned into fragments then turned into liquid and became the patis we all
known today.

It officially registered in 1949 as Tentay Food and Sauces.

D. BANANA CATSUP

Created by Maria Orosa y

Ylagan-Orosa was also the brain behind the creation of other food
products like desiccated powdered form of calamansi called calamansi nip
and powdered preparation of soya beans called soya-lac which was used
to save the lives of many prisoners held by Japanese during World War.

As a food scientist, she sought to reduce the Philippines' dependence on

imported food, pioneering new ways to use local products and that was
before she became a war hero.

E. ANTICANCER CREAM

Rolando de la Cruz created the anticancer cream from cashew nuts and
other local herbs to treat basal skin carcinoma.

He called this cream DeBCC anticancer cream.

He won several awards because of this invention and the famous one was
the gold medal award in the International Investors’ Forum in November
2005.

F. 16-bit MICROCHIP

Diosdado Banatao developed the first single-chip graphical user interface

accelerator that made computers work a lot faster.

This chip allows the computer user to make graphical presentation using
graphics for command. The data processing is made much quicker using
small chip instead of large board.

He also co-founded Mostron, Chips and Technologies, and S3 Graphics.