Integrating Indigenous Spiritual Knowledge into Environmental Ethics: A Philosophical Inquiry into Ancestral Worldviews and Ecological Stewardship
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70062/greenphilosophy.v2i3.262Keywords:
Cultural Integration, Ecological Ethics, Environmental Sustainability, Indigenous Knowledge, Spiritual CosmologyAbstract
This study explores the integration of indigenous spiritual knowledge into modern environmental ethics, focusing on the role of traditional ecological wisdom, spiritual cosmology, and stewardship practices in promoting sustainability. Indigenous worldviews often emphasize the interconnectedness between humans, the spirit world, and nature, viewing these relationships as sacred and reciprocal. This paper highlights the philosophical contributions of indigenous environmental ethics, which contrast with Western anthropocentric frameworks, offering a more holistic, spiritual, and culturally embedded perspective on ecological stewardship. Through a qualitative comparative approach, the study examines indigenous practices such as those found in the Anishinaabe philosophy of mino-mnaamodzawin and the Sarnaism faith of the Oraon community, demonstrating how spiritual connections to nature foster a deep sense of responsibility and environmental ethics. Additionally, the study discusses the challenges of integrating indigenous spiritual principles into Western academic and policy frameworks, including issues of cultural appropriation and the preservation of traditional knowledge. The research further explores potential strategies for collaboration, emphasizing community-driven approaches that respect and incorporate indigenous knowledge into global environmental governance. This integration can lead to more inclusive and sustainable environmental practices that honor both ecological balance and cultural heritage. The findings suggest that indigenous spiritual knowledge offers essential insights into creating a more sustainable and ethical approach to environmental challenges, providing a model for future policy development and global ecological strategies.
References
Barman, P. (2024). The ethical frontier: Integrating IKS for sustainable economic development. MSW Management, 34(1), 228–238. https://doi.org/10.7492/xdpjm949
Biswas, S., & Nautiyal, S. (2023). Traditional ecological knowledge versus climate change adaptation: A case study from the Indian Sundarbans. In The Palgrave handbook of socio-ecological resilience in the face of climate change: Contexts from a developing country. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-2206-2_20
Borde, R. (2018). The significance of indigenous nature spirituality. In Cultural and spiritual significance of nature in protected areas: Governance, management and policy. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315108186-8
Chakraborty, S. (2024). Sacred landscapes: The intersection of indigenous women’s spirituality and environmental protection in Canada. In Gender, environment, and human rights: An intersectional exploration. https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3693-6069-9.ch008
Eser, U. (2020). Ecological ethics: Thinking like a mountain and acting like a human [Ökologische Ethik: Denken wie ein Berg und handeln wie ein Mensch]. Natur und Landschaft, 95(9–10), 425–432. https://doi.org/10.17433/9.2020.50153841.425-432
Florence, P. S., & Mishra, A. (2024). Traditional ecological knowledge repository in the Indian Himalayas: An overview. In Addressing the climate crisis in the Indian Himalayas: Can traditional ecological knowledge help? https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-50097-8_12
Herrmann, T. M., & Heinämäki, L. (2017). Experiencing and safeguarding the sacred in the Arctic: Sacred natural sites, cultural landscapes and Indigenous peoples’ rights. In Springer polar sciences (pp. 1–8). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-48069-5_1
Jeri, A. S. (2024). Ethical and environmental knowledge and education: Indigenous cultures from Latin America. In The Cambridge handbook of ethics and education.
Kaushal, N. (2023). The role of Indian culture in enlightening the notions of environmental stewardship and sustainable living mechanism. In Sustainable development and environmental stewardship: Global initiatives towards engaged sustainability. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-28885-2_5
Kennedy, J., Howlett, C., Voyer, M., & Seini, M. (2024). Moolawang Ngayagang Yanba: Developing relationships with Lake Illawarra. Arctic Review on Law and Politics, 15, 180–201. https://doi.org/10.23865/arctic.v15.6301
Kimmerer, R. W. (2017). The covenant of reciprocity. In The Wiley Blackwell companion to religion and ecology. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118465523.ch26
McGregor, D. (2018). Mino-mnaamodzawin: Achieving Indigenous environmental justice in Canada. Environment and Society: Advances in Research, 9(1), 7–24. https://doi.org/10.3167/ares.2018.090102
McMillen, H., Ticktin, T., & Springer, H. K. (2017). The future is behind us: Traditional ecological knowledge and resilience over time on Hawai‘i Island. Regional Environmental Change, 17(2), 579–592. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-016-1032-1
Nelson, M. K., & Shilling, D. (2018). Traditional ecological knowledge: Learning from Indigenous practices for environmental sustainability. In Traditional ecological knowledge: Learning from Indigenous practices for environmental sustainability. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108552998
Opoku, M. J., & James, A. (2020). Challenges of teaching Akan (Ghana) culturally specific environmental ethics in senior high schools: Voices of Akan IK-holders and biology teachers. Southern African Journal of Environmental Education, 36, 33–49. https://doi.org/10.4314/sajee.v36i1.4
Ortega-Rincon, M. (2024). Rock art as a mechanism for safeguarding traditional ecological knowledge. Rock Art Research, 41(2), 194–207.
Ouma, O. K., Stadel, C., & Okalo, B. (2016). Social science and indigenous ecological knowledge in Kakamega Forest, Western Kenya. Eco.Mont, 8(1), 29–38. https://doi.org/10.1553/eco.mont-8-1s29
Rai, S. C., & Mishra, P. K. (2023). Traditional ecological knowledge of resource management in Asia. In Traditional ecological knowledge of resource management in Asia. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-16840-6
Sherwood, J. (2016). An Aboriginal health worker’s research story. In Indigenous pathways into social research: Voices of a new generation. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315426693-18
Souther, S., Colombo, S., & Lyndon, N. N. (2023). Integrating traditional ecological knowledge into U.S. public land management: Knowledge gaps and research priorities. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2023.988126
Valdivielso, J. (2023). Environmental ethics. In Elgar encyclopedia of ecological economics. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781802200416.ch34
Weatherdon, M. S. (2017). Indigenous knowledge and contested spirituality in Canadian nuclear waste management. Journal for the Study of Religion, Nature and Culture, 11(1), 86–108. https://doi.org/10.1558/jsrnc.27263
Withanage, W. K. N. C., & Gunathilaka, M. D. K. L. (2023). Theoretical framework and approaches of traditional ecological knowledge. In Traditional ecological knowledge of resource management in Asia. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-16840-6_3
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Green Philosophy: International Journal of Religious Education and Philosophy
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
