Mapping the future: GIS and the path to Indigenous Sovereignty
Indigenous communities are changing the narrative and elevating their stories with GIS – mapping historical injustices, asserting sovereignty and protecting cultural heritage. Self-determination in the context of data, ensures Indigenous knowledge is preserved for generations to come.
As Indigenous rights and self-determination gain significant momentum in a digital age, the role of data and technology becomes part of the discussion. Indigenous Data Sovereignty (IDS) is a critical concept that underscores the rights of Indigenous peoples to control their own data, ensuring that it reflects their values, priorities and cultural contexts. For First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities, the conversation around IDS is particularly pertinent in the context of geographic information system (GIS) technology.
Understanding Indigenous data sovereignty
Indigenous Data Sovereignty refers to the right of Indigenous peoples to govern the collection, ownership and application of data that pertains to them. This concept emerged from broader movements advocating for the self-determination of Indigenous nations and the recognition of their rights to manage resources, languages and cultural heritage.
Historically, data about Indigenous peoples and their traditional territories has often been collected and utilized by external entities without consent or consultation. In some cases, this has led to misrepresentation, exploitation and a general disconnect between data and self-determination. IDS aims to rectify this imbalance by empowering Indigenous communities to reclaim control over their data. This includes not only personal and community data, but also the methods used to collect and interpret it, along with the associated stewardship practices throughout its entire life cycle.
The role of GIS
Indigenous cultures are deeply rooted in the land, including knowledge and stewardship of the land and people’s relationship with it. GIS was founded in the same spirit, leveraging data and technology to facilitate this understanding and stewardship. GIS provides Indigenous communities with technology-driven data and solutions that resonate with their ways of being and knowing. Bringing GIS together with Indigenous culture fosters a more holistic approach and more meaningful insights for all.
GIS solutions are crucial for data collection, analysis and visualization. They play a key role in various fields including environmental management, urban planning and public health. For Indigenous communities, GIS offers clear opportunities to visualize and manage data related to land, resources and community well-being.
Several examples of how Esri Canada’s Indigenous customers are using GIS to address their community’s needs while exerting their rights to data sovereignty can be found here.
Esri Canada Indigenous Peoples page. Learn more about our collaborations and GIS solutions with Indigenous communities from coast to coast.
GIS and IDS-related considerations
Data control and ownership:
Cultural sensitivity and collaborative mapping initiatives:
Collaborative mapping projects empower Indigenous communities to actively participate in data collection and analysis. These initiatives facilitate knowledge-sharing and enhance community capacity in GIS technologies. By involving local knowledge holders, elders and guardians, these projects can help create more accurate and culturally relevant geographical insights that reflect Indigenous perspectives.
Addressing historical injustices:
GIS is being used increasingly as a tool for addressing historical injustices faced by Indigenous peoples. By mapping historical land dispossession, resource extraction, commercial and industrial activities and other forms of colonization, communities can better articulate their grievances and advocate for reparative justice. GIS-driven solutions, insights and visualizations can be powerful tools in legal and political contexts, helping to highlight the ongoing impacts of colonialism, cumulative effects and climate change.
The importance of residency:
Residency plays a pivotal role in the discussion of IDS. For many Indigenous communities, data is not just a collection of numbers or statistics; it is deeply intertwined with their identities, histories and relationships to the land. Consequently, data governance policies that pertain to where data resides at all times must align with each community's unique self-determination goals and understanding of residency—who belongs, who has the right to speak for the land and who can represent the community in data narratives.
Persistent challenges
While the push for IDS presents significant opportunities for empowerment and self-determination, it is not without its challenges. Persistent hurdles include:
Lack of resources:
Many Indigenous communities lack the financial and technical resources needed to develop their geospatial data governance frameworks, including basic GIS capabilities. Capacity-building initiatives are essential to support these communities in establishing their GIS data systems. This includes training in GIS technologies, data analysis and best practices.
Consumer versus professional GIS:
An important distinction needs to be drawn around consumer-grade spatial technologies versus professional GIS tools and data systems. Mainstream consumer-grade geospatial tools are ubiquitous in our personal lives on mobile devices, in automobiles and throughout society. In an Indigenous setting where capacity and resources are a common constraint, consumer-grade tools can be appealing. It is critically important to understand end-user licensing and data sharing agreements that accompany these solutions. When was the last time you read through an end user license or data sharing agreement for a consumer-grade app that you downloaded onto your mobile? These are typically long legal contracts but outline specific rights about your data that can sometimes be surprising.
Moving forward:
The movement towards Indigenous Data Sovereignty in Canada is gaining traction, with GIS increasingly a specific part of the conversation. Various organizations are working to support Indigenous communities. The First Nations Information Governance Centre and their OCAP principles is one example of an entity advocating for improved Indigenous-led data governance and associated practices, including GIS.
At Esri Canada, supporting self-determination and collaborations with our Indigenous customers to foster improved IDS is a cornerstone of our culture, including the principles of OCAP.
Please contact Kelsey Davis, Indigenous communities program manager at Esri Canada to learn more.
Resources
See how Makwa7, an Indigenous Owned Business in Canada and Esri Canada business partner, works with First Nations communities and Esri GIS to champion data sovereignty as a foundational component of self-determination. MAWKA7 | The Significance of First Nation Data Sovereignty