Summary
The Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) issued a memorandum on November 15, 2021, recognizing Indigenous Knowledge as one of the many important bodies of knowledge that contributes to the scientific, technical, social, and economic advancements of the United States, and to the collective understanding of the natural world. OSTP and CEQ then convened an interagency working group with representatives from more than 25 federal departments and agencies.
OSTP and CEQ also sought input from tribal nations and indigenous peoples through tribal consultation and listening sessions, and engaged with more than a thousand individuals, organizations, and tribal nations.
This guidance builds upon that memorandum and is intended to promote and enable a government-wide effort to improve the recognition and inclusion of Indigenous Knowledge. It reaffirms that agencies should recognize and, as appropriate, apply Indigenous Knowledge in decision making, research, and policies across the federal government. This guidance is founded on the understanding that multiple lines of evidence or ways of knowing can lead to better-informed decision making. Agencies should use this guidance to develop an approach to Indigenous Knowledge that is appropriate for the contexts and legal frameworks in which they operate, the tribes and indigenous Peoples with whom they partner, and the communities that they serve.
UCLA CHPR Faculty Associate Delight Satter contributed to the development of these guidelines.