A research-led initiative addressing how Indigenous history and heritage is appropriately collected and stored is taking place as part of a broader effort to help First Nations communities achieve archival self-determination.
Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) academics Dr Kirsten Thorpe and Dr Lauren Booker are leading the project in collaboration with the Indigenous Archives and Data Stewardship Hub as part of a partnership with the Clegg Foundation.
The Hub, a community-led research project is leading the way in the fight for Indigenous digital and archival sovereignty, with the aim to reshape traditional archival models.
This will be achieved by applying culturally appropriate Indigenous protocols and recognising Indigenous Intellectual and Cultural Property Rights (ICIP) within the Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums (GLAM) sector.
“Indigenous people have been historically dislocated from various types of materials collected about their history and heritage,” Dr Thorpe, a Worimi academic and Chancellor’s Indigenous Research Fellow at Jumbunna said.
“First Nations archives are crucial for language and cultural revitalisation, serving as vital tools for truth telling, healing and reparations for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.”
The Hub aims to build the cavity in the community for the use and care of Indigenous cultural heritage artefacts on Country, adhering to the principles of Indigenous Data Sovereignty.
It will support communities in accessing and reclaiming historical records and collections, in turn attempting to achieve archival self-determination through community participation and accountability.
Furthermore, it will advocate for libraries and archives to reform their policies and practices to better support culturally appropriate ownership and management, which in turn will ultimately support the preservation of Indigenous knowledges.
Brett Clegg was passionate about his family foundation’s support for the work being achieved by Dr Thorpe and Dr Booker.
“I’ve long observed and admired Jumbunna for its many contributions to Indigenous well-being and advancement across a broad range of legal and policy issues,” he said.
“It is a unique and special place that is helping produce and foster a vibrant new wave of Indigenous researchers and policy experts.
“More recently, I had the opportunity to learn about the important work at Jumbunna in the management and stewardship of Indigenous cultural heritage.
“I am really delighted to be supporting Kirsten Thorpe and Lauren Booker, two exceptional leading academics with great passion and energy for their work and communities.”
UTS Jumbunna Research Institute, far from being restricted to just the Australian landscape, has established formal partnership with the Mukurtu Project through the NSW Australian Mukurtu Hub.
It’s a collaboration that will see partnerships with leading institutions across the United States, including Yale Libraries, Washington State University, the University of Oregon, the University of Hawaii Manoa, Alaska Native Language Archive, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the University of California.
The result being the Indigenous Content Management System (CPS), Mukurtu CPS: a free, open-sourced platform to inform and socialise digital cultural heritage best practices.
It is part of the Hub actively creating breakthrough research and dialogue between First Nations communities on an international scale, with Indigenous protocols and the recognition of Indigenous Intellectual and Cultural Property Rights (ICIP) at the heart of the archival model.
Jumbunna Research, Indigenous Leadership and Engagement Director, Lindon Coombes, said Jumbunna had provided “significant contributions to the well-being of First Nations peoples” throughout its history by implementing a “strength-based approach in our Indigenous led research programs in direct consultation with local communities”.
“Dr Thorpe and Dr Booker’s research in archives and data stewardship is a prime example of our commitment to Indigenous sovereignty and cultural resilience, building our community’s capacity to preserve and celebrate Indigenous cultural heritage on Country and in digital spaces,” Mr Coombes said.
“I welcome the support of the Clegg Foundation in this sector, advocating for the recognition of Indigenous Intellectual and Cultural Property Rights in library, archive, and museum practices.”