Extraversion and Endogeneity in African Indigenous Knowledge Systems (AIKS): A Case Study of Chiweshe Area in Zimbabwe

This study explores the intersection of extraversion and endogeneity within African Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS), focusing on the Chiweshe community in Zimbabwe. It critically examines how external influences, including colonial legacies and globalization, interact with endogenous cultural practices, particularly in the transmission and preservation of indigenous knowledge. The research is grounded in Bourdieu’s Theory of Capital and Habitus—highlighting how cultural, symbolic, and social capital shape knowledge production and community identity—and Postcolonial Theory, which interrogates the impact of colonial disruption and the ongoing struggle for epistemic autonomy in formerly colonized societies. A qualitative research design was employed, using purposive sampling to select 33 participants: 15 elders, 10 traditional healers, and 8 community leaders and knowledge custodians. These participants were chosen for their roles in knowledge preservation and community leadership. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and participant observations. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data, identifying recurring patterns and meanings across participants’ narratives. Findings reveal that while indigenous knowledge in Chiweshe remains deeply rooted in spiritual, ecological, and ancestral wisdom, it is increasingly shaped by external pressures such as formal education, religion, and development aid agendas. Nevertheless, community actors continue to negotiate and reconfigure their habitus to safeguard cultural capital and ensure continuity of local epistemologies. The study contributes to the broader discourse on decolonizing knowledge by highlighting the resilience of African IKS and proposing integrative frameworks for knowledge preservation that center community agency and authenticity.