Local wisdom refers to the body of knowledge, practices, and cultural norms that communities have developed over generations to adapt to their specific environments. It often encompasses aspects such as environmental management, conflict resolution, education, and social harmony, deeply rooted in the traditions of indigenous populations or localized societies.

Local wisdom plays a significant role in sustainable environmental management. Indigenous people, for instance, utilize traditional knowledge for biodiversity conservation, water management, and sustainable agriculture, as seen in various global examples. A study by Abas et al. (2022) highlights how indigenous communities contribute to preserving ecosystems by employing practices that are attuned to their local environments, often overlooked by modern conservation methods.

In education, local wisdom can be integrated to enhance character development and social responsibility. In Indonesia, for example, educational programs incorporate local wisdom to foster moral values among students, ensuring that local cultural practices inform their understanding of environmental and social ethics (Hidayati et al., 2020). These initiatives demonstrate how local wisdom can be applied to contemporary educational settings to foster a deeper connection to cultural roots and ethical behaviors.

Furthermore, local wisdom has proven effective in community-based conflict resolution. The Minangkabau people of Indonesia, for instance, rely on traditional wisdom to mediate social conflicts and navigate the complexities of local governance (Sihite & Nadlir, 2022). Such systems, based on mutual respect and collective decision-making, offer models for resolving disputes that are often more sustainable and culturally resonant than external interventions.

References:

Abas, A., Aziz, A., & Awang, A. (2022). A systematic review on the local wisdom of indigenous people in nature conservation. Sustainability, 14(6), 3415. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14063415

Hidayati, N. A., Waluyo, H. J., Winarni, R., & Suyitno, S. (2020). Exploring the implementation of local wisdom-based character education among Indonesian higher education students. International Journal of Instruction, 13(2), 179-198. https://doi.org/10.29333/iji.2020.13213a

Sihite, E., & Nadlir, M. (2022). The power of local wisdom in social conflict resolution and local government regulations. Social Sciences Journal. https://doi.org/10.13189/sa.2020.080401

Erin has added an incredibly complete answer, so I'd only like to add something that I didn't see (maybe didn't look close enough), but (sorry to the totally pure academics in the group) I think all forms of metaphysical knowledge, the right plants to use internally or externally for the proper dis-ease, rites of passage for young boys and girls, Shamanists, elders and other 'healers' in the community.. their ways to communicate with the spirits, Gods and Mother Nature, and all the other UNseen realms of this plane or the higher planes of existence that will show themselves to those properly 'initiated' with witches brews and the like. I believe those fit into local wisdom that saved many a life and brought real VISION to the adventuresome. Even the stories that span the globe.. the great flood.. the many ways that MAN came forth on Mother Earth.. all Amazing Material to me. Folklore wouldn't exist without those stories / local wisdom.

These are traditions and beliefs in our societies that are passed from one generation to another usually influenced by culture, environment or general life experiences. Local wisdom can help to safeguard the culture and traditions of a specific group of people.

Some of the common local wisdom practices may include: initiations, ceremonies including during births and deaths, marriages, traditional arts and crafts including pottery and weavings and use of herbal medicines to cure illnesses among other practices.