![Text on a decorative yellow background: “It’s not a free-for-all… ‘Accessible’ means somebody can access it but you are still allowed to regulate it… [To scientists who might feel strongly about unrestricted access to data:] you should check your ethics. That kind of thinking assumes best intentions, but [is] a little bit naïve, and within that naïveté is where bad actors can slip in.” Rosie Alegado (Kanaka ʻŌiwi) in “Open with Care: Indigenous researchers and communities are reshaping how Western science thinks about data ownership” by Sandeep Ravindran, Science Magazine Text on a decorative yellow background: “Too often Indigenous Peoples have been told … they need to contribute their DNA so that it benefits humankind, and unfortunately Indigenous Peoples are the last to benefit…If that means upending the model so that Indigenous Peoples have proper stewardship and ownership of their data, then that’s a data future that I’m optimistic for.” Krystal Tsosie (Diné) in “Open with Care: Indigenous researchers and communities are reshaping how Western science thinks about data ownership” by Sandeep Ravindran, Science Magazine](https://localcontexts.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/2-e1730828572667.png)
A recent Science magazine article highlights the importance of Indigenous data sovereignty in research, showcasing the CARE Principles and Local Contexts’ Traditional Knowledge and Biocultural Labels and Notices.
Written by Sandeep Ravindran, the piece features Indigenous researchers Leke Hutchins (Kanaka ʻŌiwi), Rosie Alegado (Kanaka ʻŌiwi), and Krystal Tsosie (Diné), along with Local Contexts leaders Jane Anderson and Maui Hudson. They discuss how Local Contexts’ Notices are transforming data practices by ensuring that culturally significant information is handled with respect, empowering Indigenous communities to retain control in scientific spaces.
Read the full article here.
