In traditional communities, the knowledge and resources cannot be owned individually. These are communally held. In the case of specialized knowledge, these are held by certain individuals or families who pass it on to their progenies from generation to generation. Some are held by specialists such as shamans or medicine men or women. The practitioners of this knowledge are expected to hold this knowledge on behalf of the community in trust to be used for the welfare of the communities. These are not to be privatized or commoditized. Continue reading →