New partnership to preserve First Nations cultural heritage
Clegg Foundation Director, Brett Clegg and UTS Jumbunna Institute researchers Dr Kirsten Thorpe and Dr Lauren Booker gathered to celebrate the beginnings of a long-term significant philanthropic partnership.
Left to right: Mr Brett Clegg, Dr Kirsten Thorpe & Dr Lauren Booker
The Clegg Foundation has committed to a five-year funding agreement to support the postgraduate work of the Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research, with the initial two years of the agreement directly supporting Dr Booker and Dr Thorpe’s research.
“Indigenous people have been historically dislocated from various types of materials collected about their history and heritage.” Dr Kirsten Thorpe
This newfound partnership is centred on action-led research through the Indigenous Archives and Data Stewardship Hub, a community-led research project at the forefront of the fight for Indigenous sovereignty in archives and data. The aim of the project is to reshape traditional archival models through the application of appropriate Indigenous protocols and the recognition of Indigenous Intellectual and Cultural Property Rights (ICIP) within the Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums (GLAM) sector.
Adhering to the principles of the Indigenous Data Sovereignty, the Hub aims to build community capacity to care for and use of Indigenous cultural heritage artefacts on Country and in digital spaces, supporting communities to access and reclaim historical records and collections, achieving archival self-determination through community participation and accountability.
The Hub also advocates for libraries and archives to reform their policies and practices to support culturally appropriate ownership and management, ultimately supporting the ongoing preservation of Indigenous knowledges. In the words of Dr Thorpe, “First Nations archives are crucial for language and cultural revitalisation, serving as vital tools for truth telling, healing and reparations for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.”
Building international digital solutions
Far from being restricted to the Australian GLAM landscape, the UTS Jumbunna Research Institute, through the NSW Australian Mukurtu Hub, has established a formal partnership with the Mukurtu Project.
This is a collaboration with leading Universities including Washington State University, the University of Oregon, Yale Libraries, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the University of Hawaii Manoa, Alaska Native Language Archive and the University of California Los Angeles.
The product of this collaboration is the Mukurtu Content Management System (an Indigenous CMS), a free, mobile, and open-source platform to inform and socialise digital cultural heritage best practices.
The Hub is actively creating breakthrough research and dialogue between First Nations communities on an international scale, advocating for community-controlled archiving and digital stewardship of artefacts of deep cultural significance. Indigenous protocols and the recognition of Indigenous Intellectual and Cultural Property Rights (ICIP) are at the heart of this innovative archival model.
Brett Clegg spoke passionately about his family foundation and their support for the work being done by Dr Thorpe and Dr Booker.
“As a graduate of UTS I've long observed and admired Jumbunna for its many contributions to Indigenous well-being and advancement across a broad range of legal and policy issues. It is a unique and special place that is helping produce and foster a vibrant new wave of Indigenous researchers and policy experts. More recently, I had the opportunity to learn about the important work at Jumbunna in the management and stewardship of Indigenous cultural heritage. I am really delighted to be supporting Kirsten Thorpe and Lauren Booker, two exceptional leading academics with great passion and energy for their work and communities.” Mr Brett Clegg
Philanthropic support in this area is emerging, as researchers and fundraisers collectively raise awareness of the need for funding around the nation. Philanthropy is a powerful tool and enabler for the work of the hub and community self-determination. Indigenous led initiatives continue to grow and gather supporters in the Australian and international philanthropic landscape.
UTS Jumbunna Institute are proud to partner with the Clegg Foundation with a shared goal and commitment in support of Indigenous self-determination and cultural safety. We are committed to advancing Indigenous ways of knowing, being, and doing, ensuring the vital preservation of traditional knowledge, passed down over millennia for future generations.
