A cross-cultural survey of Indigenous views on interspecies communication – Towards a consilience with scientific knowledge

Abstract

Communication serves as a pivotal means for mutual understanding beyond species boundaries. Definitions of interspecific communication – particularly between humans and non-human organisms – vary not only across research disciplines, but also across cultures and societies driven by different conceptualizations of the world and the organisms around them. We conducted a cross-cultural survey based on the Human Relation Area Files – an anthropological fieldnotes database – which demonstrates the ubiquity of an assumed understanding of human-animal communication around the world. Western and Indigenous epistemologies are seen as clashing, but both have common human universals of rationality that are based on observations and interactions with the environment. Biological research has shown that soniferous behavior(i. e., sound production) is widespread among vertebrates, forming the basis of acoustic communication, while other studies suggest that interspecies communication is also widespread. We highlight the powerful synergy that can be forged between Indigenous knowledge and Western science, and address the timely topic of connections beyond species boundaries.