an important part of South Africa's cultural heritage

Human communities and cultures have co-evolved with biodiversity and over time have accumulated a wide range of knowledge about biological resources; this knowledge is of tremendous value but is being lost rapidly.

intergenerational knowledge about all aspects of life in a particular socio-economic and cultural setting

This term refers to knowledge held by communities and peoples that are indigenous. In comparison, traditional knowledge is a broader term as some traditional knowledge may not have the characteristic of indigenous knowledge.

knowledge that has been produced by groups of people living in an area (e.g. province, country, continent) for a long period of time. Some of this knowledge may have served as the basis for modern technologies. In some instances, this knowledge and the wisdom that accompanies it have been lost, either because established practices have been changed or because people have moved away from their well- known environments.

the knowledge located naturally within the community