Indigenous Knowledge in Education: A Study among Paniya Tribes in Kerala

In the context of the marginalised sections, education is claimed to be the weapon for their liberation and an agency that enhance their radical expressions and negotiations. But rendering of education is observed to be the reproduction of certain hegemonic power structure in the society. In this context, present study examines the relevance of indigenous knowledge in tribal education. The study is an attempt to formulate an analytical framework for the educational system with a view to address shortfalls in knowledge distribution using mixed methodology. The study was conducted in Wayanad district of Kerala among the Paniya tribe. Universally it is debated that the denigration of indigenous knowledge is a product of a dominant power exercised over the knowledge regime which has serious implication over the tribal children. When concerns the domain of Indian tribal education it can be seen that, along with the negligence of their traditional knowledge and culture the schools itself as a platform caters a wide range of constraints against an effective learning process.