Incorporating Indigenous Knowledge Systems to improve culturally responsive Social Work practices

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This article argues that incorporating Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) into social work practice can significantly improve the effectiveness and relevance of interventions for Indigenous communities, thus fostering culturally responsive and decolonial frameworks. Beginning with an examination of the historical exclusion of Indigenous perspectives in social work, the study sought to identify and articulate the values, principles, and practices inherent in IKS that can inform contemporary social work interventions. The research involved a qualitative study with 15 participants from the Greater Letaba Municipality, Limpopo, South Africa. The study included 15 participants with various roles and statuses within the community. Among these, 10 were social workers actively involved in indigenous communities, while 5 were traditional leaders from their respective areas. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews with social workers and community leaders who have experience in indigenous knowledge systems. Thematic analysis of the collected data revealed important insights into the significance of the Indigenous Knowledge System in the practice of social work. The implications of this study suggest that social work education should develop curricula that incorporate Indigenous Knowledge systems to more effectively meet the needs of Indigenous peoples and decolonize practice. The study adds to the scholarly realm by reducing the connection created between the Western system of social work and the indigenous worldview. It confronts the ideas of the prevailing Eurocentric models by stating the worth and usefulness of Indigenous knowledge in feeding more thorough, comprehensive, and successful social work practices.

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