Local Contexts is an Indigenous focused not-for-profit (501c3) organization supporting the recognition of Indigenous rights and interests within cultural heritage and science collections and data. Local Contexts has an Indigenous-led governance structure to promote our values of transparency, self-determination, and Indigenous leadership, and a staff of 10 who support the development and delivery of Local Contexts as key Indigenous data sovereignty cyber-infrastructure.
Local Contexts began in 2010 at the request of Indigenous communities wishing to find practical ways of addressing limitations and failures within the current intellectual property regime. Local Contexts is not focused on reforming the law, but instead finding alternative digital strategies for the expression of Indigenous rights and interests by increasing transparency and accountability. Local Contexts created the Traditional Knowledge (TK) and Biocultural (BC) Labels and Notices, a digital tagging mechanism that corrects records, brings Indigenous rights and interests into institutional contexts, and re-educates non-Indigenous peoples about Indigenous rules and responsibilities for sharing knowledge and data. By focusing on Indigenous cultural and intellectual property and Indigenous Data Sovereignty, Local Contexts helps Indigenous communities repatriate knowledge and gain control over how data is collected, managed, displayed, accessed, and used in the future.
Speakers:
Māui Hudson is from Whakatōhea, Ngā Ruahine, and Te Māhurehure. He is a Council Founding Member of Local Contexts, as well as an Associate Professor, Te Kotahi Research Institute at the University of Waikato, focusing on the application of mātauranga Māori to decision-making across a range of contemporary contexts from new technologies to health, the environment to innovation. Māui supports Māori to engage in the research sector and advocates for Indigenous rights and interests through Te Mana Raraunga: Māori Data Sovereignty Network and the Global Indigenous Data Alliance (GIDA).
Emily Santhanam is a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation and the Local Contexts Outreach Coordinator (Americas). Within this role, Emily supports multifaceted outreach efforts by cultivating and sustaining Local Contexts’ network of Indigenous communities, institutions, and researchers. Prior to her involvement with Local Contexts, Emily worked in multiple curatorial and research capacities for cultural organizations and museums.
Ashley Rojas is a Software/Web Developer focusing on API implementation of the Hub’s Labels and Notices into other digital infrastructures and managing the Local Contexts website. Ashley is originally from Lenapehoking (New York City). She received her Bachelor’s degree in Classics & Classical Archaeology and her Master’s degree in Digital Humanities. Her interests lie in bringing technology to the forefront of learning, and her work has been focused on museums and archaeology.
Registration link: https://engagedri-ca.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_DMjTdb_cRgWw3Af43SIqgg