WOMEN AS CUSTODIANS OF INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE IN EDUCATION

Abstract

This paper explores the vital role of women as custodians of indigenous knowledge within educational contexts, emphasizing their contributions to cultural preservation, environmental stewardship, and intergenerational learning. Indigenous women, often positioned at the heart of community life, carry centuries of traditional knowledge encompassing agriculture, medicine, spiritual practices, language, and ecological balance. Despite systemic marginalization, they have continued to transmit this wisdom orally and through practice, serving as educators both within and beyond formal institutions. By examining case studies from diverse indigenous communities, this paper highlights how women’s roles in knowledge transmission reinforce cultural identity and sustainability. It also addresses the challenges they face, including colonial legacies, gender biases, and the erosion of indigenous languages and practices due to modernization and globalization.