Integration of Tausug Adat (Customary Governance) and Indigenous Knowledge Systems in the Social Science Curriculum: A Framework for Culturally Responsive Education in Sulu

Abstract

Globally, the preservation of Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Practices (IKSPs) is recognized as a critical pillar for the survival of both humanity and the planet. According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO, 2021), indigenous knowledge represents a sophisticated set of understandings, interpretations, and meanings that are integral to the identity of communities and the conservation of global biodiversity. Furthermore, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) emphasizes that indigenous peoples have the inherent right to maintain, control, protect, and develop their cultural heritage and traditional knowledge. Despite these international protections, globalization continues to threaten the "intellectual patrimony" of tribal communities, often replacing sustainable ancestral practices with homogenized modern systems that fail to account for local ecological and social realities.