Being culturally appropriate

Careful consideration must be taken to understand Indigenous community protocols for knowledge sharing.

We must know what is appropriate to share and determine where knowledge ownership lies. For example, the Indigenous Traditional Knowledges might belong to a Nation, a community, a family, or possibly an individual.

Understand and follow protocols for appropriate use of Indigenous Traditional Knowledges

“Although protocols have a strictly procedural and guidance function in many mainstream contexts, in Indigenous cultures they are considered sacred. Protocols are intentional agreements between Elders and knowledge-keepers, community members, the land and the Creator within a ceremony, practice or process.”

—Cited from Guiding Protocols for Civic-Indigenous Engagement [PDF] (futurecitiescanada.ca)

That is what we mean when we ask, does it lie with an individual, a set of individuals, a family, or the whole community?

Learn how to follow the protocols of those whose land you are working on for responsible creation and curation.

Indigenous communication protocols

It is important to understand and differentiate the nuances between First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples. Each Nation will have its own laws and ethics governing its ways of seeing and interpreting the world. The protocols featured here are culturally informed and place-based but are not exhaustive. Indigenous teachings and protocols are context-specific and dependent on the particular norms and practices of the particular Nation you are engaging with, as well as the nature of engagement.

Respecting Indigenous protocols, laws, and governance structures

Indigenous communities can have different laws, governance systems, principles, protocols and ways of relating to the world around them. The holder of information can be hereditary, matriarchal, elected, a  community spokesperson, or the whole community. Respecting how (and with whom) Indigenous communities may want to engage and build relationship with helps maintain a trusting relationship and honours reconciliation.

In alignment with UNDRIP, the best practice is for the writer of Indigenous content to be an Indigenous person. There’s no amount of training, formal education, and empathy that can replace lived experience. That being said, we understand that is not always possible. Indigenous content is a crucial endeavour that requires sensitivity, cultural awareness, and respect for another’s ways of seeing the world.

How to move forward in a good way

Research the culture

Prior to using another culture’s intellectual property, research and understand it, keeping in mind unconscious bias. Taking without respect, knowledge, or insight will ultimately lead to cultural misrepresentation and misappropriation.

Obtain free, prior, and informed consent

Obtaining consent is mandatory before creating material or sharing knowledge. You must get approval from the original Indigenous source of information before publishing content that includes any aspect of Traditional Indigenous Knowledges, especially oral tradition. You must acknowledge who taught you and the permission that you have been given to share.

Ideally, material should be co-created.

Consent also applies to taking photographs or videos, even if the visual recordings are for personal use and not shared.

Share control over process and product

Shared control means equally valuing and honouring that Indigenous leadership has control over their information and how their Nation is portrayed.

Shared control means cooperation and guidance on all levels of interaction.

Shared control means building a trusting relationship in which everyone is comfortable with how much input and say they have over the process and product can take time.

Engage, promote, and share benefits

The most effective way to avoid cultural appropriation is to participate with the culture and learn the ways of knowing and being by spending time with its people. Try to understand their way of knowing and being, be involved with it, and then when it comes to using a story, symbol, or anything else, make sure you use your position to respectfully promote that culture and its people, and if possible, share benefits with them.

Acknowledgement and attribution

Make sure you honour those who you collaborated with by identifying them, and describe the nature of your collaboration clearly to your audience. Give credit where credit should be.

Reciprocity and benefit-sharing

Work with Indigenous partners to find an appropriate fairness between what you are receiving and what you are giving in the exchange. The sharing of the benefits that may come out of the collaboration is important part of building cultural appropriation, building trust, respectful relations, and reciprocity.

How to build connections at the Indigenous community level

Band offices

Band offices are a great starting point for understanding whom you need to connect with at the Nation level. Be it Chief and Council, matriarch, Elder, a specific family, etc., they can guide you to the appropriate connection.

Elders

Most Indigenous languages describe the role of an Elder as having been earned. An Elder is sought after for their wisdom, philosophy on life, Cultural Knowledge, ceremonies, and gifts that have been nurtured over time. Age alone does not determine if you are considered an Elder. Elders guide the research. They help make sure that everything is done in a respectful, sensitive way and of good heart and mind. Elders are the keepers of the process.

Knowledge Keepers/Holders

The term “Knowledge Keeper” or “Traditional Knowledge Keeper” refers to someone who has been taught by an Elder or a senior Knowledge Keeper within their community. This person holds Traditional Knowledges and teachings. They have been taught how to care for these teachings and when it is and is not appropriate to share this knowledge with others.

They carry Traditional Knowledges and expertise in different spiritual and cultural areas.

Teachings can vary from Nation to Nation as well as from one Knowledge Keeper to the next (depending on teachings, teacher, and location).

Elder and Knowledge Holder protocols

Sharing a meal

Sharing food is a fundamental Indigenous value affirming social and familial connections and values of generosity. When people share meals, they express their generosity and strengthen social bonds. It’s not just about the food; it’s about nourishing relationships and fostering a sense of belonging. It’s about connection, care, and community.

Having a feast at the beginning and end of a collaboration is a way of honouring, respecting, and showing gratitude for the sharing of Indigenous Traditional Knowledges.

Giving thanks

Gifting is an intrinsic part of  sharing beliefs of Indigenous Peoples and is an intrinsic part of their belief systems. Traditional used to show respect to the receiver of the gift and their family.

In a post-secondary setting, it is also a way to show respect and appreciation of knowledge that was exchanged.

Offering tobacco and/or a gift

It is protocol to offer a gift of tobacco when making a request of an Elder or Knowledge Keeper. Tobacco  is of ceremonial importance and one of the four sacred medicines.

First Nations and Métis Elders or Knowledge Keepers prefer traditional tobacco like loose tobacco wrapped in a cloth. When wrapping the tobacco gift add positive thoughts or prayer to your offering.

It is important to know that, Inuit Elders and Knowledge Keepers should not be offered tobacco. They will not accept it as it is not part of their ceremony. A small gift of something like tea is appropriate.

When offering the tobacco or gift to the Elder or Knowledge Keeper, many people choose to hold the pouch or tie in their left hand and, in turn, offer it to the Elder’s left hand, since there is a close connection between the left hand and the heart.

The exchange of tobacco or a gift is similar to a contract between two parties where the Elder or Knowledge Keeper is agreeing to do what is asked, and the person offering the gift is making a commitment to take care of the Elder or Knowledge Keeper from the time the request is made until the follow-up after the event.

Attributions

• “Best Practices” diagram by Connie Strayer and Robyn Grebliunas is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 licence.