Examining Indigenous Rights to Culture in North America

Abstract

Indian tribal groups in the United States and Canada are vigorously asserting cultural ownership of the content of cultures with which they identify, ownership rights that allow them to prevent others from appropriating that content, or to use it only with conditions. Additionally, they assert the right to their own cultural futures, to practice an evolving cultural form with sufficient natural and fiscal resources to be viable, and the right to be treated respectfully by the dominant society. These rights claims take various forms, and have encountered varying levels of success. Five types of rights assertions are reviewed here.

Sustainable development goals, universal health coverage and equity in health systems: the Orang Asli commons approach

“…As with many indigenous groups, it is this knowledge in adaptive livelihoods, conservation, ecosystem management and appropriate governance structures that sustains and allows communities to thrive [ 52 ]. Additionally, such knowledge is not just information but is fundamental to their identity as individuals and as a community with a history [ 53 ]. This form of collective knowledge is clearly evident in matters of the health and well-being of a community in a subsistence economy.…”

Conserving connectivity: Human influence on subsidy transfer and relevant restoration efforts

“…For example, sensitivity could be determined based on the relative productivity of systems with and without the subsidy or the historical importance of the subsidy to system food web dynamics. The social value of a subsidy (e.g., the cultural value to native people of restoring salmon runs to the Elwha River (Greaves 2002), or the tourism value of conserving sea turtle populations (Tisdell and Wilson 2001;Wilson and Tisdell 2001)) may also influence the likelihood and ultimate success of restoration (Goldman et al 2008).…”