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Our Indigenous Data Sovereignty Policy

Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP) Policy (March 2026)

Telling Your Stories Project, Coactive Education and Educulture Ltd (the company)

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1. Purpose

The Company is committed to respecting, protecting, and appropriately managing Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP).

This policy establishes the principles and practices that guide the collection, use, recording, adaptation, publication, and dissemination of Indigenous cultural knowledge, stories, histories, images, languages, and other cultural expressions shared through the project.

The policy ensures that Indigenous peoples retain authority, cultural integrity, and appropriate control over their cultural heritage.

The project recognises that Indigenous knowledge systems are living cultural systems that carry spiritual, cultural, environmental, historical, and relational meaning.

 

2. Definition of ICIP

For the purposes of this policy, Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP) refers to Indigenous peoples’ rights to their:

  • Cultural knowledge

  • Traditional stories and oral histories

  • Languages and linguistic expressions

  • Cultural expressions and artistic works

  • Sacred sites and cultural landscapes

  • Cultural practices and ceremonies

  • Traditional ecological knowledge

  • Genealogies and ancestral knowledge

  • Symbols, motifs, and designs

ICIP includes both tangible and intangible cultural heritage and may be held collectively by communities, iwi, clans, families, or knowledge holders.

These rights extend beyond conventional Western intellectual property law and include collective, custodial, and intergenerational responsibilities.

 

3. International Frameworks

This policy is guided by the principles and recommendations outlined in the following international frameworks:

United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP, 2007)

In particular:

  • Article 11 – Rights to practice and revitalise cultural traditions and customs

  • Article 12 – Rights to maintain and protect spiritual traditions and cultural sites

  • Article 13 – Rights to maintain and develop languages and oral traditions

  • Article 31 – Rights to maintain, control, protect and develop cultural heritage, traditional knowledge and cultural expressions

 

World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)

WIPO’s Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore (IGC) recognises the need to protect:

  • Traditional knowledge

  • Traditional cultural expressions

  • Genetic resources

 

UNESCO Conventions

Relevant UNESCO frameworks include:

  • Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage (2003)

  • Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions (2005)

These recognise the importance of community ownership, transmission, and safeguarding of cultural heritage.

 

Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC)

The project adheres to the international standard of Free, Prior and Informed Consent, as recognised in:

  • UNDRIP

  • ILO Convention 169

  • UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues recommendations

 

4. Core Principles

The Telling Your Stories project operates according to the following ICIP principles.

4.1 Indigenous Authority

Indigenous peoples maintain authority over their own cultural knowledge, stories, histories, and cultural expressions.

No cultural material will be used without community approval and appropriate cultural consultation.

 

4.2 Free, Prior and Informed Consent

All cultural knowledge shared with the project will be done so under Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC).

This includes:

  • Clear explanation of how stories will be used

  • Agreement on publication formats

  • Approval of final content before release

Consent may be withdrawn if cultural protocols require it.

 

4.3 Cultural Integrity

Cultural knowledge must not be altered, distorted, or misrepresented.

Where adaptation is necessary for educational purposes, this will occur in consultation with knowledge holders and communities.

 

4.4 Community Benefit

The project seeks to ensure that Indigenous communities benefit from the use of their cultural knowledge.

Benefits may include:

  • Educational resources for local communities

  • Recognition and attribution

  • Cultural revitalisation

  • Financial or partnership arrangements where appropriate

 

4.5 Attribution and Acknowledgement

All cultural knowledge contributors will be appropriately acknowledged.

Attribution may include:

  • Iwi, clan, or community names

  • Elders or knowledge holders

  • Cultural authorities

  • Language groups

Where cultural protocols require anonymity, this will be respected.

 

4.6 Protection of Sacred or Restricted Knowledge

Sacred, ceremonial, or restricted knowledge will not be recorded or published unless explicitly approved by the relevant cultural authority.

Some cultural knowledge may remain:

  • Community-owned

  • Restricted to certain groups

  • Not suitable for publication

 

4.7 Collective Ownership

The project recognises that Indigenous knowledge is often collectively owned and cannot be assigned to individuals or organisations without community agreement.

 

5. Ownership and Copyright

Unless otherwise agreed:

  • Indigenous communities retain ownership of their cultural knowledge.

  • The Telling Your Stories project may hold copyright over the educational materials or story format, but not over the underlying cultural knowledge.

All published works will include clear recognition that:

Indigenous cultural knowledge remains the intellectual and cultural property of the relevant Indigenous communities and knowledge holders.

 

6. Cultural Protocols

Each story or project will follow local cultural protocols, which may include:

  • Engagement with elders or cultural custodians

  • Language approvals

  • Cultural safety review

  • Community consultation processes

Protocols will vary between regions and Indigenous groups.

 

7. Use of Stories and Cultural Content

Cultural content developed through the project may be used for:

  • Education

  • Cultural revitalisation

  • Community storytelling

  • Curriculum resources

Without explicit permission, cultural material will not be used for:

  • Commercial merchandise

  • Advertising

  • Derivative works outside agreed contexts

 

8. Review and Cultural Approval

All story materials will be reviewed by relevant:

  • Indigenous advisors

  • Cultural authorities

  • Knowledge holders

  • Community representatives

before publication.

Communities retain the right to request revisions or withdrawal of material.

 

9. Ongoing Relationships

The project is committed to building long-term respectful relationships with Indigenous communities, rather than extractive or transactional engagements.

Engagement will prioritise:

  • Cultural respect

  • Reciprocity

  • Listening

  • Community leadership

 

10. Policy Review

This ICIP policy will be reviewed regularly to ensure it continues to align with:

  • International ICIP standards

  • Indigenous community expectations

  • Emerging best practice in cultural heritage protection

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