UNESCO’s tracker training helps safeguard Indigenous knowledge.
UNESCO brought together two of Africa’s remaining hunter-gatherer communities to test the CyberTracker application, which combines Indigenous knowledge with digital technology. Indigenous languages, cultures and knowledge are celebrated globally on 9 August, the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. ‘We have a connection with the Hadzabe community because they are hunter-gatherers just like us.’ In May 2025, ǀUi David, a tracker from the Juǀ’hoansi San community in Namibia, took part in a unique exchange organized by UNESCO’s Local and Indigenous Knowledge Systems Programme (LINKS). Together with members of Tanzania’s Hadzabe community, he participated in training on CyberTracker , an icon-based application that allows users to record animal tracks, signs, and ecological data, blending Indigenous knowledge with digital technology. Tracking the old way with new tools The Juǀ’hoansi San and Hadzabe communities share a deep bond. Both have developed extensive knowledge of...