Indigenous Archives and Data Stewardship Hub
The Indigenous Archives and Data Stewardship Hub advocates for Indigenous rights in archives and data, including promoting a Right of Reply to historical collections held across the Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums (GLAM) sector. The Hub develops research and engagement to refigure libraries and archives to support the culturally appropriate ownership, management and ongoing preservation of Indigenous knowledges. We support and assert the rights of Indigenous people to control their archives and data aligned with the principles articulated in the Indigenous Data Sovereignty movement. Our research empowers support for Indigenous stewardship of data. We do this through research, evaluation, engagement and learning activities.
The NSW Australian Mukurtu Hub
Through a formal partnership with The Mukurtu Project at Washington State University (USA), we lead the first Mukurtu Hub in Australia to connect with the Mukurtu Hubs and Spokes network in the USA. The Hub combines priority areas of working with communities in relation to the development of the Mukurtu CMS (to ensure its sustainability and to meet the needs of Mukurtu’s diverse community of users) while driving a national agenda in research related to Indigenous digital stewardship and data sovereignty. For more information visit: https://mukurtu-australia-nsw.libraries.wsu.edu/
Who we are
Led by Associate Professor Kirsten Thorpe, the Indigenous Archives and Data Stewardship Hub research team has extensive experience engaging in research, professional practice and connecting with industry to support Indigenous self-determination in archives.
What we do
Our research crosses the disciplinary boundaries of Critical Library, Archive and Museum studies and Indigenous studies. We engage in research which supports the care and protection of Living Archives of Indigenous knowledges on Country and online by working in partnership with Indigenous communities to support their archival needs. Our research is impactful and unique, bridging gaps between research and practice in the GLAM sector.
The Indigenous Archives and Data Stewardship team advocate for the following:
- Use of open source and community-controlled IT systems to support the stewardship and sovereignty of Indigenous cultural heritage held in data, information and records.
- Development of archival models that incorporate appropriate Indigenous methods, protocols and the recognition of Indigenous Intellectual and Cultural Property Rights (ICIP).
- Re-telling of stories through the creative use of the archive, through design and creative practices, to enable opportunities to speak back to archives and colonial collections.
- Developing networks of people to share stories and information on self-determined practices in the GLAM sector.
- Calling out racism and privilege concerning how archives and information are managed across the GLAM sector and in traditional library, archive and museum practice.
- Providing advice on policy in relation to Indigenous collections in the GLAM sector, including collection development policies, significance assessments, valuing of collections, incorporation of ICIP and contracts negotiating the protection of Indigenous knowledges in information systems.
- Advocating for archival justice and reparations, including support for archives in national truth-telling processes.
- Advocate for Indigenous workforce development in libraries and archives, support education and training, including delivering workshops, on Indigenous wellbeing and cultural safety in the GLAM sector.
How we do our work
We do our work through three main activities:
Actively engaging in research activities
We co-design research projects with Indigenous community partners and industry to examine reforms and transformations needed in GLAM practices to support Indigenous ways of knowing, being and doing and healing from the impacts of colonisation.
Partnerships and collaborative engagement
We engage in partnership activities with peak bodies, community partners, government and GLAM organisations. We respond to research needs through tailored packages for clients, conduct evaluation of programs, conduct research for collection significance assessments and use our skills to advance Indigenous priorities in GLAM on advisory bodies and committees.
Sharing our stories and expertise
We are advocates who share our stories and expertise by developing and delivering rich content on Indigenous priorities and self-determination in libraries, archives and the broader GLAM sector. We do this by disseminating our research through publishing activities and by developing a range of learning activities (short courses and workshops) to support professional development needs related to GLAM.
You can contact the team via Kirsten Thorpe to enquire about research, engagement and learning activities.
Team
Associate Professor Kirsten Thorpe
Research Projects
Djurali Impact Report
Working with the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) Australia to develop the djurali Impact Report.
The NSW Australian Mukurtu Hub
Through a formal partnership with The Mukurtu Project at Washington State University (USA), we lead the first Mukurtu Hub in Australia to connect with the Mukurtu Hubs and Spokes network in the USA. The Hub combines priority areas of working with communities in relation to the development of the Mukurtu CMS (to ensure its sustainability and to meet the needs of Mukurtu’s diverse community of users) while driving a national agenda in research related to Indigenous digital stewardship and data sovereignty. For more information visit: https://mukurtu-australia-nsw.libraries.wsu.edu/
Indigenous Archives Collective
Leading support for the Indigenous Archives Collective, whose aim is to connect projects, research and people working with Indigenous knowledge sources in Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums.
Indigenous Recordkeeping and Archives
Collaborating with the Australian Society of Archivists to develop an online toolkit the Indigenous Recordkeeping and Archives learning module to support archivists and archival institutions in understanding the distinct requirements of Indigenous Recordkeeping and Archiving.
Dhiiyaan Aboriginal Centre Digitisation Project, Moree
The digitisation project began in 2023 to develop advice and workflows to support the sustainability of the Centre and its collections into the future. The team has undertaken a visit to Dhiiyaan to support staff to organise and audit its collections and prioritse and plan for the digitisation of key Dhiiyaan collections.