"Living Cultures" Artwork by Saretta Fielding
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What are the Cultural Knowledge Standards?
The Aboriginal Cultural Knowledge Standards set out how researchers, consultants, government agencies, and others can work with Aboriginal communities in ways that respect Aboriginal Cultural Heritage (ACH) and Cultural Knowledge.
Cultural knowledge is held by Elders, Knowledge Holders and Custodians. It is central to Aboriginal identity, spirituality and culture. Respecting this knowledge and following cultural protocol is essential when collaborating with communities.
Aboriginal Affairs NSW developed the Standards to provide clear, practical guidance for both Aboriginal communities and those collaborating with them.
Guidelines for Community and collaborators
The Cultural Knowledge Standards are made up of two parts:
Part 1 - Aboriginal community guidelines: supporting Aboriginal communities to protect and manage their Cultural Heritage rights when working with researchers, government agencies or consultants. This section includes a template to support the development of agreements.
Part 2 - Guidelines for researchers, government agencies and consultants: Supporting non-Aboriginal people and organisations to collaborate with Aboriginal communities in respectful and culturally safe ways.
Both parts include practical advice on:
- Respect, confidentiality, and integrity in engagement
- Ethical use and mutual sharing of information
- Remuneration for cultural expertise
- Recognising continuing custodianship of Aboriginal Cultural Intellectual Property (ACIP)
- Free, Prior and Informed Consent
- Negotiation and agreement-making that respects Aboriginal communities’ needs
Improving ACH standards
The Cultural Knowledge Standards aim to lift the quality of engagement and agreement-making with Aboriginal communities in NSW.
The Cultural Knowledge Standards seek to improve engagement with Aboriginal communities and strengthen the protection of their Aboriginal Cultural Intellectual Property (ACIP) through the application of better methods and tools.
The standards do not replace current statutory processes. Instead, they set new benchmarks for how Aboriginal communities and others can collaborate in genuine partnership.