Subject guides: Vancouver 2022: Indigenous Knowledge

Indigenous Knowledge

Indigenous Knowledge encompasses both traditional and evolving knowledges of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in many forms including cultural language, art, stories and dance, and the written word.
Acknowledging this in academic writing is a way to show respect and recognise expertise. It is important to honour the authority of Traditional Knowledge and Oral Traditions passed down through Indigenous Knowledge Keepers, as this knowledge deserves the same respect afforded to scholarly sources from outside Indigenous communities.

Citing Indigenous Knowledge

It’s important to attribute both:

Indigenous Knowledge holders and peoples, and
Indigenous Knowledges used by non-Indigenous authors.

This provides fair attribution which is often lacking due to historical misinformation, poor recordkeeping, purposeful destruction, and privileging of Western perspectives.

When citing and referencing sources of Indigenous Knowledge, you need to:

Critically analyse the material: Begin by considering whether the sources are appropriate. Use the decision tree on page 7 of the Indigenous Knowledges Attribution Toolkit (IKAT) to evaluate the authorship and content of the source. More detailed guidance can be found on pages 8-11.
Use the Citation Style Guide: Pages 12-20 of the IKAT provides guidance on citing sources by Indigenous authors, and Indigenous Knowledge used by non-Indigenous authors. All examples are in APA style. Resources should still be cited according to the format for the type of source e.g. book, article.
Include the Indigenous person’s Nation, Country, or Language group in your citation, if that information is available. You can often find information about an author in the contributor section of a book, or in the author's bio or online profile. Avoid assuming a person’s affiliation if not stated clearly.

Style specific advice

The IKAT provides examples in APA style, however these can be adapted to the Vancouver style. The AMA Manual does not contain specific advice for referencing Indigenous Knowledge in any format, but it does provide guidance on using inclusive language for Indigenous peoples. Section 11.12.3 states “whenever possible, specify the nation or peoples.” Note that as the AMA Manual is a US based style, their examples relate to North American Indigenous peoples and nations. Check with your lecturer if you plan to use the IKAT principles in your work.

Tips

Capitalise names of specific groups and words related to Indigenous culture in your text (e.g. Elder, Country, Traditional Custodians). The capitalisation is intentional and demonstrates respect for Indigenous perspectives.
Some Elders and Knowledge Keepers will prefer to be listed under their Traditional Name rather than their legal name, sometimes without listing a legal name also.
Confirm all details with the Elder or Knowledge Keeper, as well as whether the information used is suitable for publication or requires additional protocols or permissions to share.

More resources

Library databases relating to Indigenous Australians - find resources relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
The IKAT has been adapted by Deakin University into an easy-to-use online guide.
Indigenous maps of Australia and Victoria - Includes the AIATSIS map of language, social or nation groups of Indigenous Australia, and maps of languages and cultural heritage boundaries in Victoria.
Deadly Learning Glossary - Key terms and definitions relevant to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Developed by Nathan ‘Mudyi’ Sentance for the Monash University Museum of Art.