Education

Protocol Resources

• There is no single Aboriginal culture - Aboriginal society is very diverse.
• Aboriginal culture is dynamic - it is not the same as it was in 1788.
• Torres Strait Islanders are a separate group with their own distinct identity and cultural traditions.

Significant issues in the cultural identity of both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people include:

• kinship.
• recognition and respect as a distinctive people.
• relationship to land and sea.
• preservation of customs, laws and language.

A number of protocol documents have been produced in recent years to meet the needs of particular communities, organisations, industry and situations. The following are selected as useful guides for people working in the new media arts sector:

• Lester Bostock, The Greater Perspective: Protocol and Guidelines for the Production of Film and Television on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities, Special Broadcast Services, 2nd ed, 1997
• 'Doing It Our Way: Contemporary Indigenous Cultural Expression in New South Wales', Janke, Terri, New South Wales Ministry for the Arts, Sydney, NSW, January 2002.
• Our Culture: Our Future - Report on Australian Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property Rights, 1998, written and researched by Terri Janke, Michael Frankel and Company, Solicitors, for Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission.
• Taking the Time - museums and galleries, cultural protocols and communities, A Resource Guide, 1998, produced by Museums Australia Inc. (Qld)
• Previous Possessions, New Obligations, a policy document produced by Museums Australia in 1994, to provide a way for museums to approach Indigenous cultures. A plain English version, with case studies has been published.
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Protocols for Libraries, Archives and Information Services, compiled by Alex Byrne, Alana Garwood, Heather Moorcroft, Alan Barries, and endorsed at the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Library and Information Resources Network (ATSILIRN) conferences, December 1994 and September 1995.
• The Encyclopaedia of Aboriginal Australia: Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander History, Society & Culture David Horton (ed) 1994.
• As a Matter of Fact: answering the myths & misconceptions about Indigenous Australians Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) 1998.
• Stars of Tagai: the Torres Strait Islanders Nonie Sharp 1993.
• The World of the First Australians Ronald & Catherine Berndt 1981.
• Kulinma: Listening to Aboriginal Australians H.C. Coombs 1978.
• Caught in the Draught - Veronica Brady, 1994.
• Mysteries of the Dreaming: the spiritual life of Australian Aborigines - James Cowan, 1989.
• Blood on the Wattle: massacres & maltreatment of Australian Aborigines since 1788 - Bruce Elder, 1988.
• Being Aboriginal:comments, observations & stories from Aboriginal Australians - from the ABC radio programs - Ros Bowden & Bill Bunbury, 1990.
• Living Black - Kevin Gilbert, 1977.
• The Wailing: a national black oral history - Stuart Rintoul, 1993.
• Aboriginal Identity in Contemporary Australian Society - Donald Tugby, 1973.
• The Torres Strait: people & history - John Singe, 1989.
• Daughters of the Dreaming - Diane Bell, 1983.
• Aboriginal Voices: Contemporary Aboriginal Artists, Writers & Performers - Liz Thompson, 1990.
• Before the Invasion: Aboriginal life to 1788 - Colin Bourke, Colin Johnson & Isobel White 1980.
• The Aboriginal Tasmanians - Lyndall Ryan, 1981.
• Doorditj:Australian Indigenous Cultural Expressions Australian on CD - Dept of Communication & the Arts,1998.
• Frontier: Stories from white Australia's Forgotten War ABC, 1997.

Links to sites on media and advocacy issues:

• Australia Council for the Arts - http://www.ozco.gov.au/
• National Indigenous Arts Advocacy Association - http://www.culture.com.au/exhibition/niaaa/
• The Australian Government Directory, Indigenous Services - http://www.agd.com.au/
• The Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Guidelines for Ethical Research in Indigenous Studies - http://www.aiatsis.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/2290/ethics_guidelines.pdf
• Our Culture, Our Future - a discussion paper written by Terri Janke and commissioned by the Australian Institute of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS). This paper discusses the nature of Indigenous Cultural & Intellectual Property and what Indigenous people feel should be protected.
• Media Alliance Code of Ethics
• Ethics and Code of Conduct from ABC and AJA
• Australian Council for the Arts.

Further Links:

Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody Recommendations

Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies - Ethical Research
This will bring you to the AIATSIS homepage. To proceed to the ethical research area, select Research Grants in the navigation bar on the left hand side, then scroll to the bottom of this page to the link which reads Information for Applicants and Ethical Guidelines. From here, a PDF version of the Institute's research guidelines can be downloaded.

Human Research Ethics - University of South Australia
The Aboriginal Research Institute has established guidelines aimed at ensuring that Indigenous people are consulted about, and involved in, any research conducted in relation to them or their communities. The University of South Australia Ethics Department have adopted the ARI's research guidelines. They ensure appropriate consultation, clarification of research ownership and control, and community involvement.

School of Indigenous Australian Studies - James Cook University
A leader in research on Indigenous issues. This page lists staff involved in the University's Indigenous research program.

Curtin Indigenous Research Centre
Currently developing a policy and guidelines for the conduct of ethical and culturally appropriate research.

Ethics in Research Involving Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander People - Murdoch University
Procedures to follow where research involves Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People. Also based heavily upon the Aboriginal Research Institute guidelines.

Australian Heritage Commission
AHC's Policy in Relation to Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Peoples and the National Estate.

NSW Health
Ethical health policy which ensures consistency and good practice in the management of health-related information about Indigenous people. Includes issues surrounding the collection, ownership, storage, security, access, release, usage, reporting and interpretation of information, as well as issues of confidentiality and privacy.

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