1. Towards an Indigenous Vision for the Information Society
Indigenous Media Network
Presentation

2. The Information Society as a Cultural Concept
Information is processed against an existing body of knowledge, which defines its meaning and value
Information is as diverse as individual, social and cultural diversity
The concept of knowledge is as diverse as the idea of information
Communication is shaped by and depends on culturally defined regulations

3. Indigenous Knowledge Linked to relationship with ancestral territories
System of knowledge and practices
Provides philosophy defining the place of humans in the “web of life”
Includes inherent ethics for interaction between human, natural and spiritual worlds

4. Traditional Knowledge and Indigenous Ethics
Traditional knowledge includes Indigenous ethics towards:
- Utilization of resources for human use
- Application of knowledge for human purposes

5. Traditional Knowledge and Indigenous Customary Law
Indigenous customary law provides for:
classification of different types of knowledge
Proper procedures for its acquisition and sharing
Rights and responsibilities which attach to its possession

6. Summary: What is Indigenous Knowledge?
Deeply holistic
Collective in nature
Contains an entire worldview
Rooted to a particular place
Some of its aspects are sacred and secret
Includes social and political relations
Includes regulations for its use and dissemination
Managing principles: 1.Stewardship 2.Guardianship 3.Intergenerational responsibility

7. Guardianship over Traditional Knowledge
Elders and other traditional authorities
Certain or all males/females
Certain clans/families
Specialists
Age specific
Gender specific
Social and individual responsibilities

8. Traditional Knowledge and Information Communication
Sharing and acquiring knowledge involve specific procedures to be observed:
Exchange of information, with appropriate protocols to follow, highly depend on the given communication situation and its actors
Information communication is bound to the ethical and cultural obligations related to the shared knowledge
Teachings are specific in time and place, and adapted to the respective recipient(s)

9. Oral Transmission of Indigenous Knowledge
Allows adaptation to the context of the situation and the maturity of the receiver(s)
Allows adaptation to readiness of recipient(s) to use the given information responsibly
Allows fullfilling ethical obligations related to the communicated knowledge and information

10. Indigenous Knowledge in the Economy of the Information Society
Traditional knowledge is increasingly reduced to
an important resource
valuable raw material
for the knowledge - economy
of the Information Society
Indigenous knowledge, cultivars and inventions are mainly utilized by:
agri-business (to improve commercial food and fibre crops)
- pharmaceutical industry (production of new drugs)

11. Commercial Exploitation of Indigenous Knowledge
Scientific estimates indicate that Indigenous Peoples possess as much as 99% of existing knowledge about usable species
Commercial exploitation of traditional knowledge and inventions often takes place without authorization and consent of Indigenous Peoples
Digitalizing Indigenous knowledge and disseminating it as local content, places it in the public domain and thus makes it vulnerable to exploitation

12. Traditional Knowledge and the Public Domain Concept
Developed in the framework of European economic philosophy
Includes knowledge and information that is considered shared, disclosed or generally known
Is considered a common resource
Viewed freely available for economic utilization
Traditional Knowledge
Is not recognized as a valid economic, legal, ethical and philosophical framework
Is denied its holistic concept including related protocols for sharing and dissemination
Is considered a res nullius and is appropriated from Indigenous Peoples
Is denied its ethical implications and related cultural obligations

13. The Public Domain as a Backbone of the Information Society
Access to a vibrant public domain is the backbone of the envisioned global Information Society
At the same time, Indigenous Peoples need to assert their rights and obligations towards their traditional knowledge

14. Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) – A Solution for Indigenous Peoples?
temporary protection of a creative work against commercial use by third parties
often require disclosure of related knowledge and thus placing it into the public domain
are an instrument to reap economic benefits from a commercial creative work by granting the owner temporary private property rights
Traditional Knowledge
protection of knowledge as such against unauthorized use and commercial exploitation
permanent removal from the public domain, unless authorized by Indigenous Peoples
commercial exploitation is often problematic, since creation is considered a gift with human owners as custodians and future generations as strong rights-holders

15. Challenges and Potentials for Indigenous Peoples
For Indigenous Peoples, two essential questions emerge regarding their participation in the Information Society:
Is it possible to share their knowledge and information without violating their cultural obligations and customary laws?
Is it possible to utilize ICTs within their cultural contexts without risking to lose their cultural identity?

16. Towards an Indigenous Vision for the Information Society
Indigenous participation must be rights-based
Its implementation and applications must be culturally appropriate
It must include Indigenous philosophies and ethics

17. Adequate Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Equal participation of Indigenous Peoples in the Information Society requires:
New standard setting activities to develop adequate Rights of Indigenous Peoples in the Information Society
Recognition of existing Indigenous Rights

18. Creation of Adequate Legal Instruments
Full ownership, control and protection of Indigenous cultural and intellectual property
Alternatives to the application of the public domain concept to their knowledge and cultural expressions
Alternatives to the application of current IPR regimes to their knowledge
Recognition of Indigenous culturally diverse concepts and provisions of their customary laws in defining the term intellectual and cultural property
Recognition of Indigenous cultural obligations towards communication and dissemination, use and application of their knowledge
Legal protection must recognize:
1. collective nature of knowledge
2. culturally diverse concepts of ownership and ethical implications
3. multi-generational view

19. ICTs and Indigenous Communication
ICTs are a cultural expression of the society that has developed them
ICT-applications for Indigenous Peoples have to be culturally appropriate and must adapt to Indigenous modes of communication
Indigenous Peoples must be able to determine ICT-utilization in their communities on their own terms

20. Recognizing Existing Indigenous Rights in the Information Society
Recognition of existing Indigenous Rights is essential to:
allow Indigenous Peoples to participate in the Information Society without losing their cultural identity
support the survival of their living cultures without risking their museumization

21. Essential Indigenous Rights
Rights to ancestral territories
Rights to transmission of cultural values and customary laws
Rights to educational systems and traditional knowledge transmission
Rights to Indigenous languages
Rights to the integrity of Indigenous health systems and healing practices

22. ICTs cannot replace elements of the living Indigenous culture
ICTs cannot replace traditional elements of Indigenous cultures, such as:
interaction with ancestral territories for generation and preservation of knowledge
inter-generational knowledge transmission

23. Participation of Indigenous Peoples is vital
Indigenous Peoples must control and determine ICT-utilization in their communities
Involvement of Elders and other traditional authorities in related decision-making processes is important
To identify:
culturally appropriate content
culturally appropriate forms of digitalization of Indigenous cultural elements
culturally appropriate e-applications

24. Indigenous Peoples are affected by the Digital Divide
Lack of basic infrastructure
Availability of servers
Lack of knowledge on operating and maintaining ICTs
Lack of electricity and telephone services
Lack of equipment
Lack of financial resources for necessary acquisitions

25. Overcoming the Digital Divide
Indigenous Peoples have the right to bridge the digital divide on their own terms
Avenues to take include:
1. Design of culturally appropriate ICT capacity-building programs by Indigenous ICT experts
2. Indigenous-Indigenous co-operation programs
3. Support for “Elders-and-Youth” Initiatives to develop strategies for bridging the digital divide

26. ICTs could become a useful Complementary Tool
If all these pre-conditions are met, ICTs could become a usefull complementary tool for:
Preservation of Indigenous cultures and languages
Indigenous education (especially through distant learning)
Indigenous language training
Health assistance for remote Indigenous communities
Environmental education and monitoring
Support for traditional ways of life, for instance: nomadic communities

27. Other Important Applications
Other important applications include:
E-business
Establishment of Indigenous Media
Intercultural education and combating racism and discrimination against Indigenous Peoples

28. Indigenous Research is vital to develop Indigenous ICT-approaches
Promotion of Indigenous research to explore Indigenous aspirations of Indigenous Peoples towards the Information Society and challenges and potentials they perceive
Support for Indigenous Studies to develop strategies of Indigenous Peoples how to bridge the digital divide in their regions on their own terms and ensure affordable access solutions
Design of culturally appropriate capacity-building instruments on ICT-use by Indigenous experts to allow for informed decision-making of Indigenous Peoples on their ICT-needs
Support for Indigenous research on the effects of ICT-utilization on the survival of Indigenous cultures, languages and identities

29. Intercultural Communication on the Evolution and Implementation of the Information Society
Intercultural communication between Indigenous and non-Indigenous actors of the Information Society is essential to
allow for equal participation of Indigenous Peoples
include Indigenous visions and philosophies in the process of its evolution and implementation
develop respect for Indigenous cultural obligations and protocols

30. Mechanisms of Intercultural Exchange
Establishment of a high-level mechanisms that brings together Indigenous and non-Indigenous actors
Promotion of exchange between Indigenous and non-Indigenous practitioners to foster mutual understanding and develop solutions that respect Indigenous approaches

31. The Web of Life and the Global Net
Q: What is the Indigenous Vision of the Information Society?
A: The Global Net as the Embodiment of the Web of Life