Indigenous Data Sovereignty in Ecology and Environmental Science

Data…

• is discrete information organized into knowledge
• asserts (statistical) identity and self-determination
• wields power as a decision making force
• “…[is] synonymous with life in a modern society…” [1]

Indigenous Data Sovereignty

“…An assertion of the rights and interests of Indigenous Peoples in relation to data about them, their territories, and their ways of life” [2]

Indigenous Data Governance

“Indigenous data governance is the act of harnessing tribal cultures, values, principles, and mechanisms…and applying them to the management and control of Indigenous nation’s data ecosystem” [1]

• Data for governance: “…Accurate, relevant, and timely data for policy and decision-making…”