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Researchers, our Data Debt is Overdue

Indigenous Data Sovereignty is not just a matter of ethical research; it is an essential component of justice, self-governance, and respect for Indigenous knowledge systems. 


Today is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation here in Canada, or Orange Shirt Day.  As we reflect upon the legacy of residential schools, we researchers and academics also have the responsibility to reflect on our policies and practices that inhibit or support Indigenous self-governance. One way we can do that is by making sure that in our work, we understand and uphold the principles of Indigenous Data Sovereignty.


Image 1:  Source: Orange Shirt Society


A Historical Context

For centuries, Indigenous communities have been subjects of research rather than partners in it. This legacy of colonialism has resulted in the exploitation of Indigenous data without consent, causing physical, emotional, and relational harm and leading to the justification of genocide and land dispossession.   

 

Truth and Reconciliation Day serves as a reminder of how past and present racist and colonialist research practices continue to inflict harm on Indigenous communities. It is an opportunity for researchers to engage in self-reflection and consider their roles gathering and using Indigenous data in the broader context of reconciliation. Upholding the principles of Indigenous Data Sovereignty is a crucial step toward addressing historical wrongs and fostering trust between Indigenous and research communities.

 

Our Research

Several of us in the Bailey Lab work in Nunatsiavut, with the Nunatsiavut Research Centre (NRC) and with community members all along the Nunatsiavut coast.  Originally from Upstate New York, home of the Seneca Nation of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, I started traveling and working in Nunatsiavut as part of my PhD project. Initially, my plan was to develop climate change models for different habitat-forming marine species like kelp, eel grass, and stalked anemones. Then Memorial University master’s student (now Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami Policy Advisor) Veronica Flowers and I worked with the NRC to try to track down data that I could then use to build these models. But there was a problem: we couldn’t find any!


Image 2: Although researchers respect the tenets of data sovereignty, we have a long way to go.


With permission, we contacted hundreds of researchers from across the world that had collected data from Nunatsiavut – many of which had previously stated in their Nunatsiavut Government Research Application that they would return data to Nunatsiavut. At the end of our search, we were able to help shepherd the return of data from only one-third of the research projects that took place within Nunatsiavut lands and waters and with Nunatsiavut communities from 2011-2021. That means that two-thirds of research projects never returned data to Nunatsiavut!


Image 3: Common procedural issues hindered data return, and integrating data return directly into research planning was essential for getting data back to communities. 


The Path Forward

In conversation with the Nunatsiavut Research Manager, Inuit Research Advisor, and past and current researchers, we compiled a list of recommendations to help translate policies of Indigenous Research Sovereignty into practical steps for individual researchers, academic institutions, Indigenous research governance boards, and research funding bodies.  Some highlights of these recommendations include:

 

  • Write research agreements with the communities in which you work that lay out data management procedures and data ownership.

  • Have a good data management policy in your lab or place of work.  Make sure everybody has solid data management procedures for their projects.

  • When writing grants, make sure you include funds for returning data and results to communities.  This is expensive and can’t be an afterthought!

  • Get those results contextualized!  The best thing we can do for our research is to make sure it aligns with community priorities and is communicated in ways that align with community values. Communities should never find out about the results of research from a publication. Sharing initial results and data supports better research relationships.

 

To read all about this research and see the full list of recommendations, Click Here.


Image 4: It’s important to return all data, not only data about people. Sea urchins are an essential part of culture and food security. 


The Story Doesn’t End Here

Our case study and recommendations add only a small part to the large and growing body of work outlining policies and procedures to uphold Indigenous Data Sovereignty.  Globally, Indigenous communities and nations assert their rights to Data Sovereignty and Research Sovereignty through the Global Indigenous Data Alliance, the Māori Data Sovereignty Network, Maiam Nayri Wingara, National Inuit Strategy on Research, The First Nations Principles of OCAP, and the United States Indigenous Data Sovereignty Network

 

Operationalizing these policies into everyday research work is not an easy thing to do.  Plenty of institutional, financial, and bureaucratic (to name a few) barriers exist that we all encounter trying to move beyond the principles of data sovereignty and into the practicalities. Pushing through them requires a lot of time, effort, and working through very difficult issues. However, it’s necessary work to come to terms with the past and decenter colonialist research methodology.


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