Intangible Cultural Heritage and Mitigating ‘Nature Deficit’: Indigenous Languages and Oral Literature

7 Pages Posted: 26 Feb 2022

See all articles by Chidi Oguamanam

Chidi Oguamanam

University of Ottawa - Common Law Section

Date Written: December 28, 2021

Abstract

Indigenous Peoples globally are invested in the revitalization of their languages as part of concerted efforts at safeguarding ICH and strengthening indigenous knowledge systems. They are mindful, as is UNESCO, that “the major influence on the sorry state of their languages is the fact that indigenous peoples are threatened themselves”. By investing in linguistic renaissance, Indigenous Peoples are advancing their own survival. Indigenous languages are largely but not exclusively oral, rich in poetic imageries and tend to align with Indigenous Peoples’ ecological, geographical, cultural and religious identify, not to mention their ethics of relationship with nature. Stories are critical tools in Indigenous languages. Indigenous worldviews are glimpsed and conveyed mostly through stories which transcend fiction and entertainment essences as they provide deep philosophical and practical insights in dealing with natural forces. As scientists, including social scientists of all sub-disciplinary biases explore, frame, and seek solutions to humankind’s abusive and fractured relationship with nature as evident in the phenomenon of “nature deficit disorder”, which is now linked to the extant and disruptive health and environmental crisis of pandemic and apocalyptic disruptions, it is high time serious attention is focused on less explored areas. One of those areas is the all-encompassing capacity of indigenous oral literature to provide insights on human-animal and other human-nature relationships for transgenerational environmental awakening.

Keywords: Indigenous Peoples, Indigenous Languages, Stories, Dene, Inuit, Intangible Cultural Heritage, Nature Deficit Disorder, UNESCO, Oral Literature, Canada, United States

Suggested Citation

Oguamanam, Chidi, Intangible Cultural Heritage and Mitigating ‘Nature Deficit’: Indigenous Languages and Oral Literature (December 28, 2021). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3995643 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3995643

Chidi Oguamanam (Contact Author)

University of Ottawa - Common Law Section ( email )

57 Louis Pasteur Street
Ottawa, K1N 6N5
Canada

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Downloads
61
Abstract Views
283
Rank
637,858
PlumX Metrics