  We present a scoping review of published literature on ethnomathematics and
Indigenous mathematics as a step towards a goal to decolonize the prevailing
Eurocentric view of the provenance of mathematics. Mathematical practices were
identified globally from 169 included studies. We map three development stages
of ethnomathematical research from 1984 to 2023 and identify 20 categories of
Indigenous and traditional cultural activities that evidence mathematical
design and expression. We address two challenges of investigating non-Western
based mathematics: where to look for mathematical knowledge, and how to decode
it from cultural practices. These two hurdles are overcome by cluster analysis
of the keywords of included studies. Existing research falls into two
categories: I. identification of mathematical concepts used in Indigenous
societies, and II. systematizing identified mathematical concepts. Both
approaches are essential for research on Indigenous mathematics to flourish, in
order to empower Indigenous knowledge holders and deconstruct restrictive
colonial boundaries of mathematical knowledge and education.
