Traditional Indigenous Knowledge for Sustainable Post-Disaster Management: A Two-Eyed (Parallel) Planning Toolkit

Abstract

With the increasing intensity and frequency of natural and man-made disasters due to climate change, the need for sustainable disaster management solutions is more critical than ever. The United Nations Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 highlights the importance of incorporating Indigenous Knowledge Systems into disaster risk reduction, yet in practice, Indigenous knowledge is often treated as complementary to dominant colonial, Western approaches. This project takes on the knowing-doing gap in foregrounding Indigenous knowledge into disaster risk management using a decolonized research approach. A Two-Eyed decision toolkit (that draws from both Indigenous and Western ways of knowing) operationalizes themes found in peer-reviewed and gray literature review and a series of subject matter expert interviews. The solution set was piloted to identify coping and recovery mechanisms for the ongoing man-made crisis being experienced by the people of Gaza, Palestine.