What is First Nations Data Sovereignty?

By Leona Star, MDP student

The ability of First Nations people to practice their ceremonies, speak their languages, sing their sacred songs, and connect to the lands, waters, and all beings is a direct act of sovereignty that sustains the well-being of their Nations; these practices have been passed on throughout the generations that recognize and uphold the Nations' sovereignty and self-determination. Nations have always acted upon their inherent responsibilities to teach and educate children through the transfer and protection of their cultural and traditional knowledge, which is rooted in their languages, ceremonies, and protocols, in relation to the lands, waters, and all living beings.

Data Sovereignty is not new to First Nations people, as Nations, we have always asserted sovereignty over our information, our data, and stories were carefully held and protected until the transfer of the information and data (i.e.. Songs, ceremonies, teachings, etc.) was ready to be received and cared for in the same way it was given, ensuring the integrity and values continued to be upheld. Walter and Carroll (2020) define Indigenous Data Sovereignty as, “affirm[ing] the rights of Indigenous Peoples to control the collection, access, analysis, interpretation, management, dissemination and reuse of Indigenous data”. First Nations governance and oversight of data are prerequisites for asserting Indigenous Data Sovereignty (IDS). The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) article 31further supports IDS as, “Indigenous peoples’ right to maintain, control, protect and develop their cultural heritage, traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions, as well as their right to maintain, control, protect and develop their intellectual property over these” (United Nations, 2007). 

Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN)

The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations represents 74 First Nations in Saskatchewan. The Federation is committed to honouring the spirit and intent of the Treaties, as well as the promotion, protection and implementation of the Treaty promises that were made more than a century ago.

FSIN is one of 10 regions across Canada working in partnership with the First Nations Information Governance to create stand-alone First Nations Data Centers as a pathway to assert First Nations Data Sovereignty, supporting the needs of the families and Nations they serve.

The FSIN Data Sovereignty team will be hosting online webinars on the following topics:

·        What is First Nations Data Sovereignty?

·        How are First Nations protecting data and information across Canada?

·        What is OCAP, and how have Nations implemented OCAP?

·        What is Free, Prior and Informed Consent and why is it important?

·        What is a First Nations Data Center?

·        What is an Information Sharing Agreement, and how can it support First Nations Data Sovereignty?

For more information, please contact martin.paul@fsin.com or murall.bird@fsin.com

Leona Star and Martin Paul