Information Practices
How have information practices changed in order ensure that Indigenous communities control their own cultural heritage?
Changes to colonial information practices have primarily emerged as the result of advocacy by Indigenous information professionals, activists and scholars (Phillips 2011). It is evident that since the start of colonial collecting on the unceded territory of what is now known as British Columbia, Indigenous communities have contested colonial information practices through systematic resistance including participating in trade when profitable, continuing potlatch despite the ban, teaching techniques for hand-making objects, hiring lawyers and presenting petitions to contest the theft of Indigenous property or looting of graves, requesting the collaboration of provincial police, and many other actions (Cole 1995 and Robinson 2001). More recently, information communities have sought to counteract colonial biases by implementing changes such as collaborating with community partners to describe Indigenous belongings and information, including more diverse materials within collections, using traditional frameworks for describing and organizing Indigenous belongings, repatriating Indigenous belongings, and restructuring legal frameworks guiding the use of Indigenous belongings and information.
For example, in August of 2018, the Society of American Archivists (SAA) announced its belated endorsement of the Protocols for Native American Archival Materials (SAA Website). The goal of the Protocols was primarily to "outline best professional practices for culturally responsive care and use of American Indian archival material held by non-tribal organizations” (SAA Website). The Protocols drew upon existing declarations, best practice guides and legislation including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Library, Information and Resource Network (1995), Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (1990), the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (2007). In order to uphold current best practice in the field, emerging information professionals must become familiar with changing information practices and policies. The recommended resources listed below provide further information about the various changes outlined above, and we encourage you to continue searching for ongoing research on the topic.
Content from this module addresses iSchool Graduate Competencies 1.1, .13, 1.4 , 2.2, 4.1, 5.1, 5.2
