Traditional Knowledge and Copyright Intersections

The aim of this brief report is to summarize the outputs of the CC Open Culture Platform Working Group (WG) focused on Traditional Knowledge and Copyright Intersections. In simple terms the WG was focused on learning about the various aspects of traditional knowledge collections that engage with and connect to copyright considerations around the world. Over the year we hosted a series of three seminars with experts in the field to shed a light on these topics.

Introduction:

The needs and circumstances of groups and resources that fall under the broad category of indigenous knowledge are both varied and specific. To determine the value and applicability of CC licenses and CC principles to these varied groups requires knowledge and understanding that only the members of those groups hold. The objective of the WG is to gain a better sense of the important issues pertaining to the relationship between traditional knowledge, groups, and resources and the CC licenses and CC principles and copyright.

Our goals for the WG were to:

1. A seminar series featuring speakers with lived experience as well as experts who have worked in the field
2. Engage wider CC Community participation
3. Blog posts to accompany the seminars that include a summary of the seminar, a link to the full recording.

Seminars:

Jane Anderson of Local Contexts about Traditional Knowledge Labels

In this seminar we learned about the innovations of Local Contexts which has developed a series of labels to accompany pieces in traditional knowledge collections which elaborate the community significance of a piece. This includes considerations for how and who can and should be allowed to use the material as well as attribution. Developed through sustained partnership and testing within Indigenous communities across multiple countries, the Labels allow communities to express local and specific conditions for sharing and engaging in future research and relationships in ways that are consistent with already existing community rules, governance and protocols for using, sharing and circulating knowledge and data.

With Jane the group discussed how copyright is addressed with the labels and how indigenous communities relate their cultural heritage to copyright laws which don’t address their cultural rules and practices for sharing and ownership.

Erna Lilje of the World Culture Museum about Preserving Traditional Knowledge in Institutions.

In this seminar we heard about the evolution of the World Culture Museum and the collections which Erna has begun to curate. Erna shared some insight into what role provenance plays when creating an exhibition and considering the description of the material.

Mehtab Khan, the author of a paper on Traditional Knowledge and Creative Commons.

In this seminar we learned about traditional knowledge collection’s use of open licenses, the unique challenges of these collections, where innovation is happening, and which institutions are leading the way in addressing the concerns of Indigenous communities and cultural heritage.

One parallel between all three seminars was the impact of preservation. Jane shared an example of a drum rhythm that was preserved in the US Library of Congress and Erna shared an example of a beading pattern that was preserved at the Museum. For full insights check out the recordings!

Through these seminars the WG gained valuable insight into the pitfalls of copyright generally but also the great value of Open Culture when proper consideration is made for sharing these collections.

Co-leads

Connor Benedict and Mohammed Awal Alhassan

Special thanks to all the members of the working group throughout the year, the CC Open Culture community for their engagement and participation, and the CC Open Culture Platform for support and guidance.

Watch the seminar with Jane Anderson

Watch the seminar with Erna Lilje

Watch the seminar with Mehtab Khan and the WG closing session