Community Mapping, Indigenous Ecological Knowledge and Landscape Management | SOAS
Channel: SOAS University of London
Date: 2019-03-11

Community Mapping, Indigenous Ecological Knowledge and Landscape Management is a lecture given by Dr Da-Wei Kuan (Daya Dakasi) at the Centre of Taiwan Studies, SOAS University of London on 5 October 2018. Find out more at http://bit.ly/2UxEqDZ
There are increasing recognition of the importance of trans-cultural dialogue to enhance human capacity in dealing with environmental issues. This speech presents the effort made to dialogue indigenous ecological knowledge, modern science, and the state policy for resource management in Taiwan. Based on extensive ethnographic research in the Tayal indigenous communities, the speaker will share his experience involving in indigenous community mapping, and adopts the ethno-physiographical approach to : 1) reveal Tayal indigenous knowledge of landscape ;2) elaborate how these knowledge formed systematic and dynamic watershed management; 3) point out the inappropriacy of modern watershed management that conflicts indigenous logic; 4) explain the adaptivity of indigenous knowledge in contemporary social ecological conditions. In the end, the speaker will make suggestions to the establishment of indigenous knowledge-based watershed management regime, so that the conflicts can be reconciled and a good governance can be achieved.

Keywords: Community Mapping, Traditional Ecological Knowledge, Ethno-physiography, Tayal People, Landscape Management

Speaker Bio
Daya (Da-Wei Kuan), comes from the Tayal indigenous group in Taiwan, received his PhD degree in geography from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Ethnology at NCCU. His research interests include: indigenous geography, indigenous land policy, indigenous community mapping, and community-based resources management. In addition to the fieldworks in Taiwan, Daya also commits himself to the comparative studies and collaborations within the Austronesian language-speaking family in the Pacific, including Fiji, Palau, Guam, Philippines, Hawaii, and Aotearoa. Devoting to integrate his works of academic research, teaching and community service for the claim of indigenous land rights, he collaborates with different indigenous communities in many traditional territory mapping, land-use planning and community development projects.  Daya is a member in the Committee for the Promotion of Indigenous Peoples Basic Law in the Executive Yuan chaired by the premier in Taiwan government. He also serves as the consultant in the Subcommittee on Land Claims of the Indigenous Historical Justice and Transitional Justice Committee in the Presidential Office.