Whose Open Culture? Decolonization, Indigenization, and Restitution
Channel: Creative Commons
Date: 2024-01-31

In January we hosted a webinar titled “Whose Open Culture? Decolonization, Indigenization, and Restitution” discussing the intersection of indigenous knowledge and open sharing. Our conversation spanned a variety of topics regarding indigenous sovereignty over culture, respectful terminology, and the legacy of colonialism and how it still exists today.  While we strive for more open sharing, it is important to recognize the cases where culture should not be open to all.

The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples had a significant impact on the ability for indigenous people to advocate for their rights, and for institutions to have clearer guidance on the treatment of indigenous cultural expressions. But there is much more to be done. Institutions stewarding indigenous cultural expressions must be patient and  take the time needed to build relationships with the communities whose culture is in their collections in order to establish ways of sharing with consideration and consent.

In this webinar, we were  joined by:

Jane Anderson, Vice Chair & Founding Member, Strategic Advisor, Co-Founder, Local Contexts
Stephany RunningHawk Johnson, Executive Director,  Local Contexts
Camille Callison, University Librarian, University of the Fraser Valley
Erna Lilje, Curator, Indigenous knowledge & material culture, Nationaal Museum van Wereldculturen