Doing Research in an Enchanted World: Lessons from Indigenous Methodologies

Based on prolonged apprenticeship with the indigenous Gente de Centro from Colombian Amazonia, this article discusses their research methodologies and challenges they pose to ethnographic knowledge. Indigenous suggest that modern disenchanted method, its semi-structured interviews, focus groups, data collection design, is inadequate account for a world in which everything speaks does so unexpectedly. Moreover, people’s warning watch over effects of knowledge means assuming responsibility towards act knowing produces or could produce. In doing so, underline inseparability epistemological, ethical, political dimensions research. Anthropology must respond adequately such if it contribute cultural struggles remain credible approach understanding world. To do work against method as data-gathering technique, let itself be occupied by cognitive practices others.