ArcticNet Data

Indigenous data, or those collected by governments and institutions about Indigenous Peoples and their languages, knowledge, practices, technologies, natural resources, and territories, are essential for Indigenous Peoples to exercise their individual and collective rights to self-determination and self-governance. Indigenous data sovereignty reinforces the rights to engage in decision-making in accordance with Indigenous values and collective interests. Research involving Indigenous data should adhere to community-generated research requirements, practices, and principles, such as the pan-Indigenous CARE Principles for Indigenous Data Governance, ensuring Collective Benefit, Authority to Control, Responsibility, and Ethics are thoroughly considered in collaboration with the Indigenous community involved in the research at hand.

Supporting Indigenous data sovereignty and governance inherently includes support for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Nation researchers, further brokering access, ownership and control over their research and their data. This support extends to building capacity for community-based data management practices, systems, and infrastructure where needed. First Nations, Inuit and the Métis Nation are best positioned to determine what information should be collected, how this information should be stored, analysed, monitored, used, shared, and preserved in ways that maximize benefits to communities while minimizing harm (ITK, 2018, National Inuit Strategy on Research).

For non-Indigenous researchers, Indigenous research must begin first and foremost with appropriate engagement of Indigenous peoples, communities or organizations throughout the entire data lifecycle, formal attribution of contributed knowledge, establishment of informed consent for use of knowledge and derived products, and the maintenance of contributor control of data. This kind of engagement and consultation must occur first before any research is formally proposed, and, like the building of any meaningful relationship, will take time.

In accordance with Article 8(j) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (1992) concerning Traditional knowledge, innovations and practices, researchers shall respect, preserve and maintain knowledge, innovations and practices of Indigenous and local communities embodying traditional lifestyles relevant for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity. In the context of Canada specifically, Chapter 9 of the TCPS 2, Research Involving the First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples of Canada defines Indigenous Research as referring to primary research including:

• research conducted on First Nations, Inuit or Métis Nation lands in Canada and Indigenous lands worldwide;
• recruitment criteria that include Indigenous identity as a factor for the entire study or for a subgroup in the study;
• research that seeks input from participants regarding a community’s cultural heritage, artefacts, knowledge or unique characteristics;
• research in which Indigenous identity or membership in an Indigenous community is used as a variable for the purpose of analysis of the research data or in the creation of survey tools; and
• interpretation of research results that will refer to Indigenous Peoples, lands, language, history and/or culture.

The diversity and distinctions between First Nations, Inuit and the Métis Nation in Canada must be recognized and respected. Additional resources and guidance must be consulted based on the specific Indigenous Peoples, community, or organization the research concerns or will involve. For example, the First Nations Information Governance Centre (FNIGC) Principles of OCAP®, standing for Ownership, Control, Access, and Possession, clearly establish how First Nations data should be collected, protected, used, or shared. The Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK) National Inuit Strategy on Research (NISR) similarly offers specific context and guidance on conducting research in Inuit Nunangat, identifying priority areas for advancing Inuit governance in research in support of self-determination.

Required institutional ethics review processes will guide data management in these contexts, however Indigenous Peoples, governments, communities or organizations may have specific practices or requirements in place, and it is the responsibility of researchers to familiarize themselves with and adhere to these. These requirements may include storing and preserving data within the community, in which case researchers must opt for community-based repositories where possible, or writing data management, storage and long-term preservation capacity into funding applications to accommodate. Ongoing community consultation, engagement, and adherence to requirements builds respectful and meaningful partnerships that enhance the efficacy, impact, and usefulness of research for all involved or those it concerns.

See the full text of this policy for more information about Indigenous research, or the following resources:

• International Arctic Science Committee (IASC): The State of Principles and Practices for Arctic Data Management
• Global Indigenous Data Alliance (GIDA): CARE Principles
• United Nations (UN) Article 8(j) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (1992)
• United Nations (UN) Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP)
• Chapter 9 of the TCPS 2, Research Involving the First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples of Canada
• First Nations Information Governance Centre (FNIGC) Principles of OCAP®
• Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK) National Inuit Strategy on Research (NISR)