About Indigenous Data Sovereignty
and Governance

Indigenous Data Sovereignty (IDS) recognises the inherent right of First Nations peoples and Communities to govern the collection, ownership, and application of data. It's about ensuring that First Nations people have control over the data that tells our stories, reflects our knowledge, and shapes our futures. IDS is caring for data so data can help care for Country and Community.

Skye's PhD: A Foundation for IDS

Skye Trudgett's PhD research provides a critical foundation for understanding and implementing Indigenous Data Sovereignty principles. Her literature review presents a series of foundational principles that need to be considered and contextualised across various levels of operationalisation. This publication is the basis of the OCCCAAARS Framework. 

Kowa draws upon Skye's research to inform our practice and ensure that our work is grounded in a deep understanding of Indigenous Data Sovereignty principles

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35243269/


Moving from Talk to Action: The OCCAAARS Framework

While many organisations and institutions acknowledge the importance of IDS, there's often a gap between awareness and action. Kowa is committed to bridging this gap by facilitating workshops that guide Communities in developing practical protocols for Indigenous Data Soverignty and Governance (IDS&G).  

These workshops are structured around the OCCAAARS Framework, which stands for:

  • Ownership: Who owns and controls the data?  

  • Collection: How is data collected ethically and respectfully?  

  • Control: How is access to data managed and protected?  

  • Access: Who has the right to access the data, and under what conditions?  

  • Analysis: How is data analysed and interpreted in a Culturally appropriate way?  

  • Application: How is data used to benefit First Nations communities?  

  • Archiving: How is data stored and preserved for future generations?  

  • Responsibilities: Who is responsible for upholding Indigenous Data Sovereignty and Governance principles?  

By working through the OCCAAARS Framework, Communities, initiatives and individuals can develop clear and actionable protocols that ensure their data is used ethically, responsibly, and in ways that benefit their communities.

Wathaga: Embedding IDS in Practice

Kowa is committed to putting the principles of IDS into action. Our digital UMEL platform, Wathaga, has been purposefully designed to embed Indigenous Data Sovereignty. Wathaga provides Communities and initiatives with a secure and user-friendly platform to collect, store, analyse, and share data in ways that align with their Cultural values and data governance principles.