About Local Contexts
Local Contexts was founded by Jane Anderson and Kim Christen in 2010. The primary objectives of Local Contexts are to enhance and legitimize locally based decision-making and Indigenous governance frameworks for determining ownership, access, and culturally appropriate conditions for sharing historical, contemporary and future collections of cultural heritage and Indigenous data. Local Contexts is focused on increasing Indigenous involvement in data governance through the integration of Indigenous values into data systems. Local Contexts offers digital strategies for Indigenous communities, cultural institutions and researchers through the TK (Traditional Knowledge) & BC (Biocultural) Labels and Notices. Together they function as a practical mechanism to advance aspirations for Indigenous data sovereignty and Indigenous innovation.
Mission
To enhance and legitimize locally based decision-making and Indigenous governance frameworks for determining ownership, access, and culturally appropriate conditions for sharing historical, contemporary and future collections of cultural heritage and Indigenous data.
Vision
To increase Indigenous involvement in data governance through the integration of Indigenous values into data systems by offering digital strategies for Indigenous communities, cultural institutions and researchers through the Traditional Knowledge and Biocultural Labels and Notices.
Misión
Potenciar y legitimar estructuras de toma de decisión locales y de autogestión indígenas para determinar propiedad, acceso y condiciones culturales apropiadas para compartir colecciones históricas, contemporáneas y futuras de información y patrimonio cultural indígena.
Visión
Fomentar la participación indígena en la gestión de la información a través de la integración de valores indígenas a las bases de datos, al ofrecer estrategias digitales para comunidades indígenas, instituciones culturales e investigadores a través de las Etiquetas y Notificaciones de Conocimiento Tradicional y Bioculturales.
Mission
Promouvoir et légitimer les processus de prise de décision locaux et les cadres de gouvernance autochtones dans la détermination de la propriété, de l’accès et des conditions culturelles appropriées pour le partage des collections passées, contemporaines et futures de données relatives à l’héritage culturel des autochtones.
Vision
Augmenter la participation des Autochtones dans la gestion et le contrôle des données par l’intégration des valeurs autochtones dans les systèmes de gestion des données, en offrant des stratégies numériques aux communautés autochtones, aux institutions culturelles et aux chercheurs à travers les étiquettes et les notifications Savoir traditionnel et Bioculturelles.
Project History
The Local Contexts project grew from the needs of Indigenous and local organizations who wanted a practical method to deal with the range of intellectual property issues that arise in relation to managing cultural heritage materials. Emerging from Mukurtu CMS platform’s use of traditional knowledge fields to incorporate traditional knowledge and copyright concerns, Local Contexts started as a way to provide strategies for managing, sharing, and protecting digital heritage. In an increasingly complex legal, social and cultural environment, the TK (Traditional Knowledge) & BC (Biocultural) Labels offer Indigenous communities the tools to add cultural and historical context and political authority to cultural heritage content in non-Indigenous digital archives, libraries, museums and other digital repositories globally as well as to their own local digital heritage archives.
The BC (Biocultural) Labels extend the TK Label initiative to genetic resources and within the biological and genomic data sciences. The BC Labels were conceptualized and developed by Jane Anderson and Maui Hudson in 2019. Focused on accurate provenance, transparency and integrity in research engagements with Indigenous communities, this initiative offers the possibility for substantive change in how biological data from Indigenous contexts can maintain cultural relationships and responsibilities, connecting Indigenous people and places over time with data and in the metadata and with future researchers for the cultural, ecological and commercial benefit of Indigenous peoples. The BC Labels have broad international interest and are being initially piloted in Aotearoa, New Zealand with new use cases developing in the US, Australia and Canada.
Project Directors
Jane Anderson
Co-Director
Māui Hudson
Co-Director, Whakatōhea Nation
Kim Christen
Co-Director
James Francis, Sr.
Co-Director, Penobscot Nation
Acknowledgements
The Traditional Knowledge (TK) Label designs had been an interactive process with multiple Indigenous communities internationally. The designs for the TK Labels were developed in collaboration with Alexander Hage.
The Biocultural (BC) Labels have been designed in collaboration with IDIA (Indigenous Design and Innovation Aotearoa) in Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand with Miriame Barbarich and John Moore. They follow the direction set by the TK Labels, and reusing the unique ‘Label’ shaped background ensures they are part of the same family. The addition of the 3 small dots represents the more organic and scientific nature of the materials being represented, and the various icons and illustrations are specific to each use.
Design and development of Local Contexts Hub by John Deck, Dianna Lovette, Steve Taylor, Alex Merrill and Miriame Barbarich, and John Moore and Renee Waiwiri (Indigenous Design and Innovation Aotearoa).
Biocultural Labels developed with advice and support from the Aotearoa Biocultural Labels Working Group.
Label and Notice implementation support by Michael Wynne.
Te Reo Māori translation of Labels and Notices provided by Dr. Haki Tuaupiki (most recent translation: September 2021).
Spanish translations of Labels provided by Maria Montenegro.
French translations of Labels and Notices provided by Francoise McNeil and Patricia Raynault-Desgagné.