Subject & Research Guides: Copyright Guide: Indigenous Knowledge & Copyright

Indigenous Knowledge & Copyright

Indigenous Knowledge and Copyright

The Canadian Federation of Library Associations has identified the following issue:

"Canada’s Copyright Act does not protect Indigenous knowledge, which may be found in published works as a result of research or appropriation. In Canadian law, the author of a published work holds the legal copyright to that knowledge or cultural expression, while the Indigenous peoples from whom the knowledge originated have lost their ownership rights." (CFLA, 2018).

Canadian Federation of Library Associations (CFLA). (2018). Position Statement: Indigenous Knowledge in Canada's Copyright Act. http://cfla-fcab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/CFLA-FCAB_Indigenous_knowledge_statement.pdf

Suggested Resources

Position Statement: Indigenous Knowledge in Canada’s Copyright Act - Canadian Federation of Library Associations
Indigenous Knowledges and Canadian Copyright Law - University of Saskatchewan
Indigenous peoples and intellectual property - Canada's Intellectual Property Strategy

First Nations Cultural Heritage and Law by Catherine Bell (Editor); Val Napoleon (Editor)
ISBN: 0774814624
Publication Date: 2009-01-01
First Nations Cultural Heritage and Law explores First Nations perspectives on cultural heritage and issues of reform within and beyond Western law. Written in collaboration with First Nation partners, it contains seven case studies featuring indigenous concepts, legal orders, and encounters with legislation and negotiations; a national review essay; three chapters reflecting on major themes; and a self-reflective critique on the challenges of collaborative and intercultural research. Although the volume draws on specific First Nation experiences, it covers a wide range of topics of concern to Inuit, Metis, and other indigenous peoples.
Indigenous Data Sovereignty and Policy by Maggie Walter (Editor); Tahu Kukutai (Editor); Stephanie Russo Carroll (Editor); Desi Rodriguez-Lonebear (Editor)
ISBN: 9781000214284
Publication Date: 2020-10-29
This book examines how Indigenous Peoples around the world are demanding greater data sovereignty, and challenging the ways in which governments have historically used Indigenous data to develop policies and programs. In the digital age, governments are increasingly dependent on data and data analytics to inform their policies and decision-making. However, Indigenous Peoples have often been the unwilling targets of policy interventions and have had little say over the collection, use and application of data about them, their lands and cultures.