BioKulture Systems Design: A Kara-Kichwa Design Framework for Research, Development, and Innovation Governance

Contemporary global challenges demand transformative approaches that transcend conventional Western paradigms and center Indigenous systems as foundational to sustainable futures. This review introduces BioKulture Systems Design (BKD), an Indigenous-led framework developed by emerging Kara-Kichwa relational science that recenters Indigenous epistemologies, relationship of Nature-Culture symbiosis (BioKulture, articulating a geological “cence,” poetic world “scene,” and identity & belongingness “placemaking” of what can be portmanteau termed “Biokulturecence”), and embassy governance in addressing complex social-ecological challenges. Drawing from the remote sensing concept of orthomosaic, where multiple overlapping images are geometrically corrected to create seamless composite maps, BKD integrates diverse knowledge systems through relational correction to generate coherent governance architectures. The framework operates through core principles. Unlike participatory methodologies that maintain colonial power structures, BKD establishes Indigenous embassy processes that assert sovereignty over research, development, and innovation while creating pathways for meaningful cross-cultural collaboration. We synthesize the theoretical foundations, operational architectures, and practical applications of BKD, demonstrating its capability and capacity to address limitations in conventional methodologies and advance Indigenous self-determination, data sovereignty, and the evolution of transformative systems. The framework represents a paradigmatic shift from “superficial” co-frames, decolonial, and participatory approaches in the governance of complex systems, offering critical insights for scholars, policymakers, and practitioners working at the intersection of two worldviews (Indigenous & Settler): complexity science and global sustainability challenges.