Federal policy fueled by Native American folk wisdom, says report

In a bid to be more “inclusive,” the Biden administration is proposing using “indigenous knowledge” — or Native American folk wisdom —  to fuel public health policies.

The federal government’s push to include indigenous knowledge in decision-making stretches back to late 2022, when the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) issued guidance on using such folk wisdom to influence policy.

According to the White House guidance, “Agencies do not need to judge, validate, or evaluate Indigenous Knowledge using other forms of knowledge in order to include Indigenous Knowledge in Federal policy, research, or decision making.” The memo also attacks “Western science” as “a tool to oppress Tribal Nations and Indigenous Peoples.”

“Recognition and inclusion of Indigenous Knowledge in Federal decision-making benefits everyone,” the White House said in a statement following the guidance, adding that it is a “necessary process of recognizing history and rectifying relationships.”

A proposal from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) obtained by the Washington Free Beacon last week sets out guidelines for “scientific integrity” in federal science and public health. According to the document, staff at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) should use “multiple forms of evidence, such as Indigenous Knowledge” when analyzing data.

Public health employees are also encouraged to employ other “non-traditional modes of science,” including “citizen science, community-engaged research, participatory science, and crowdsourcing.” These guidelines, which are expected to be finalized this year, are part of the Biden administration’s service to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) ideology.

“A strong culture of scientific integrity begins with ensuring a professional environment that is safe, equitable, and inclusive,” the report stated. “Issues of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility are an integral component of the entire scientific process.”

The inclusion of indigenous knowledge has already begun to influence policy. According to a report Monday by government watchdog Protect the People’s Trust, the Biden administration blocked seven oil and gas leases in Alaska last year based on Native American folk wisdom. In explaining why the leases were canceled, the Department of the Interior said the decision was “based on the best available science and in recognition of Indigenous Knowledge . . .”

The report by Protect the People’s Trust also notes that the government’s embrace of indigenous knowledge contradicts its own policy. When he first took office, Joe Biden signed the Scientific Integrity Memorandum which mandated that “[s]cientific findings should never be distorted or influenced by political considerations.”