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Issue no. 46 / October 2021
Tell us about the principles of True Tracks and why they’re so timely. The principles in True Tracks are in response to the growing interest in Indigenous cultures and the applications in various areas – from art, fashion and education to business. They are in response to the misappropriation and copying, and the taking of culture without prior informed consent. That said, I think the principles empower better collaborations in these fields, from opportunities for Indigenous artists to work with public art projects to tech applications, the principles are a pathway to empower respect. Respectful relationships start with people seeing each other as equal and wanting to come together in a fair way that has mutual benefits. The misappropriations of culture have led to a lot of trust being lost. Terri Janke, author of True Tracks. Photo: Terri Janke and Company
IN CONVERSATION: DR TERRI JANKE Dr Terri Janke has been a decades-long warrior for the protection and strengthening of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ cultures. The Meriam/Wuthathi lawyer, advocate, and international authority on Indigenous cultural and Intellectual Property spoke to Reconciliation News about her work and her recently published guide to respectful working relationships, True Tracks.
It’s respect, self-determination, consultation and consent, interpretation, integrity, and it’s about benefit sharing. It covers continuing cultures and thinking about the future of our cultures. Bringing non-Indigenous and Indigenous people together can be challenging. The collaborative arrangements that we need for the future, and for reconciliation can be underpinned by this framework. It covers continuing cultures and thinking about the future of our cultures. The book and the principles guide people to act respectfully, follow guidelines, work ahead of the legal requirements. Is the law still playing catch up when it comes to this area? The law is behind in recognising Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP). Intellectual property laws are designed for western knowledge systems. They are based on incentive, individual rights.