Community Resources

Data Sovereignty and Heritage Policy Resources

A large portion of this work relates to inherent rights of Indigenous peoples regarding their data and cultural heritage, and both should be a central part of any planning or discussion. Here we've collected a few resources and tools that aim to help Indigenous communities think critically about and exercise their inherent right to their own data as well as work towards developing their own cultural heritage management policies.

Data Sovereignty

It is important to ask critical questions about the data obtained and generated throughout this process. Who owns the data? Where is it stored? Who has access? What format is it in? How will it be protected or shared in the future? When working with external organizations, including private-sector companies or educational institutions, there should be clear discussions around ownership, control, access, and possession (The First Nations principles of OCAP^®) of any and all data generated by various contracts or agreements.

Data Sovereignty Resources

The First Nations Principles of OCAP^® - This course is designed by First Nations and is intended principally for First Nations who work with data and are asserting the First Nations Principles of OCAP® as part of that work. It is also intended for those who interact with First Nations data or information and are looking to learn how they can best respect the principles in their work. If you are asserting OCAP®, the course will give you the background and tool you need to exercise data sovereignty. By taking this course, you will learn what it means to assert and apply the principles OCAP® through the work you do.

Community Digital Archives Toolkit - In partnership with the Muskeg Lake Cree Nation, Saskatchewan Polytech has created a digital archives toolkit for Indigenous and other community groups to use. The toolkit consists of a variety of documents and links that include the best practices and standards for factors like: basic archival theory, Indigenous materials stewardship, inventory, digitization, and suggestions for archival content management systems.

Indigitization Toolkit - The Indigitization Toolkit is a collection of resources to support and guide digitization projects in Indigenous communities. The Indigitization Toolkit also fits into the broader goal of providing support to First Nations communities in the management of their information. The Toolkit is based on the Indigitization Program’s three pilot projects, and draws from the experiences of the three First Nations community partners involved. Digitization industry standards and sound practices also inform the Toolkit.

Animikii, an Indigenous technology company, has created some tools and references to help Indigenous groups and organizations exercise OCAP® principles in systems built by and for Indigenous people. Some of their resources include: #Databack - an eBook for Indigenous-focused organizations and governments who want to transform data governance through advanced tools, principles and practices. Niiwin: Decolonizing Digital - a data management software built to center Indigenous data sovereignty using relational data connections.

Indigenous Heritage Policy

Indigenous cultural heritage includes physical, emotional, mental, kinship and spiritual components, both tangible (physical) and intangible aspects. Each of these concepts is inextricably linked, holding intrinsic value to the well-being of Indigenous peoples and affecting all generations. Indigenous Peoples have an inherent right to identify their own cultural heritage, interpret its meaning, and safeguard its value. However, current colonial frameworks of heritage legislation that regulate and define state-sanctioned heritage were not established with this in mind. Establishing and defining a cultural heritage policy is one way in which Nations are taking a step towards reclaiming their own cultural heritage and asserting their rights to data sovereignty as it relates to their tangible and intangible heritage.

Heritage Policy Resources

IPinCH

The Intellectual Property Issues in Cultural Heritage (IPinCH) research project is an international collaboration of archaeologists, Indigenous organizations, lawyers, anthropologists, ethicists, policy makers, and others, working to explore and facilitate fair and equitable exchanges of knowledge relating to heritage. They have an extensive list of resources that may be helpful in many areas of heritage policy and data sovereignty.

Relevant Legislation & Reports