Among the areas of local knowledge that could lead to a meaningful application in modern life are the invasive and non-invasive traditional medicine, skills in the performing arts, crafts, textiles, jewellery and weaponry.
Religious and secular educative process could enlighten us on the educative process of berguru (traditional teaching method) that has been lost in the modern education system in which the role of the teacher as a guardian and mentor has lost its appeal.
Other areas of significance are sustainability of agriculture, fisheries and forestry activities. The relationships of man and his environment determine the method of carrying out these activities that would ensure sustainability of the limited resources. This entails respect accorded to the elemental forces and manifestations of nature.
Traditional local knowledge and wisdom may ameliorate our modern, hectic, materialistic and self-damaging lifestyle that, in the end, would adversely affect productivity.
In fact, modern man is destructive, causing irreparable damage to the environment without regard for its sustainability for future generations, such as excessive logging, unwarranted bauxite mining and the extraction of fossilised fuel.
Recognising the importance of local knowledge and wisdom, a group of researchers from local universities, headed by Universiti Sains Malaysia, has successfully applied for funding from the Higher Education Ministry under the LRGS (Long Range Grant Scheme) to conduct research on traditional performance healing, as well as herbal therapy.
The wholly science-oriented members of the panel approved the application with a proviso that clinical and scientific evidence be provided.
Traditional anthropological medicine is an example of how local knowledge and wisdom could be applied to modern clinical medicine.
This is with regard to the application of placebo, autosuggestion, hypnosis (trance and other altered states), sonic orders, kinesthetic energy and the internal healing energy in the traditional healing rituals.
Using modern scientific methods, we could measure and understand, for example, the application of traditional music to stimulate brainwaves, as well as activate the pharmacy of the brain to release endorphins and other chemicals like dopamine and opiod to ameliorate or even cure certain (angin) psychosomatic maladies and even muscular and joints tensions.
While the non-invasive therapeutic intervention could activate the release of endorphins and also act as a placebo, it could at the same time be used for necromantic activities to act as a nacebo, that is, to inflict harm like in the use of santau.
Santau is a black magic potion that incorporates voodoo-like
concoction that could be directed
to a person with the intention of harming him or even causing death.
Such evil activities could be investigated from the scientific perspective with regard to its psychological and physiological effects on the targeted person.
These necromantic arts are cultural specific and ingrained as hereditary traits imbedded in the DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid).
And, such impetus or catalyst could activate the fear syndrome causing psychosomatic depressions, which could lead to psychological and physiological complications.
There is also a need to understand the kind of poisonous elements used in santau that could be transmitted through food, airborne or tactile contact.
Local knowledge pertaining to herbal culture could also be investigated and translated into modern clinical medicine.
Likewise, traditional sensibilities could humanise modern societies, which have become too materialistic and individualistic to the extent of being belligerent at times.
Local knowledge that combines both the tangible and intangible forms of expressions is valuable in creating a harmonious and meaningful lifestyle.
Intangible elements that encompass traditional philosophy, ethics and aesthetics portray traditional sensibilities that form as guidelines in communal living.
Tangible elements, such as architecture and definitely traditional medicine and herbal culture are based on the traditional philosophical concepts and beliefs,
We have to start decolonising and opening our mind without negating Western-generated knowledge and treating our own local knowledge condescendingly but emplacing it as a significant part of the knowledge spectrum.
All forms of knowledge, whether esoteric or scientific, factual or imaginative, cerebrally evident or intuitive, are invaluable in unraveling the mysteries of the external universe, as well as the universe within us.
And, traditional local knowledge can make a significant contribution to the understanding of our physical ephemeral existence.
Dr Mohamed Ghouse Nasuruddin is an emeritus professor of Performing Arts in the School of Arts at Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang