▁the ▁civil izations ▁of ▁Mes o amer ica ▁and ▁the ▁And es . ▁ ▁Ep ist em ology ▁and ▁science ▁ ▁Ep ist em ology ▁refers ▁to ▁the ▁study ▁of ▁knowledge , ▁the ▁ways ▁in ▁which ▁a ▁person ▁acqu ires ▁and ▁processes ▁information . ▁Among ▁Ind igen ous ▁cult ures , ▁ep ist em ology ▁is ▁understood ▁differently ▁and ▁more ▁inher ently ▁than ▁how ▁it ▁is ▁understood ▁in ▁Western ▁philosophy . ▁ ▁Native ▁American ▁ep ist em ology ▁is ▁found ▁primarily ▁in ▁theories , ▁philosoph ies , ▁histor ies , ▁cer emon ies ▁and ▁nature ▁as ▁multiple ▁ways ▁of ▁knowing . ▁Em phas is ▁is ▁put ▁on ▁the ▁importance ▁of ▁language ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁vital ▁components ▁of ▁Native ▁American ▁ep ist em ology . ▁It ▁is ▁through ▁the ▁unique ▁symbol ism ▁and ▁the ▁close ▁connection ▁with ▁nature , ▁that ▁Native ▁Americans ▁consider ▁knowledge ▁to ▁be ▁acquired . ▁In ▁relation ▁to ▁conscious ness , ▁rational ity ▁and ▁other ▁heavily ▁studied ▁psych ological ▁states , ▁the ▁inher ent ▁structure ▁of ▁the ▁complex ▁Native ▁American ▁language ▁is ▁necessary ▁to ▁understand ▁in ▁the ▁obtain ment ▁of ▁ind igen ous ▁knowledge . ▁There ▁is ▁also ▁a ▁strong ▁link ▁between ▁nature ▁and ▁the ▁interpretation ▁of ▁knowledge ▁within ▁Native ▁American ▁culture . ▁It ▁is ▁believed ▁that ▁the ▁mind ▁interact s ▁with ▁the ▁environment ▁in ▁a ▁very ▁active , ▁conscious ▁way . ▁The ▁process ▁through ▁which ▁they ▁interact ▁with ▁nature ▁is ▁through ▁the ▁necessary ▁need ▁for ▁surv ival ▁but ▁also ▁through ▁a ▁deep ▁respect ▁and ▁understanding ▁the ▁land ▁as ▁a