Cultural Advice

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that this platform contains names, images, and voices of deceased persons.

In addition, some content contains terms or views that may no longer be considered appropriate and may be offensive to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers. Content in Informit collections does not necessarily reflect the views of Informit. While the information may not reflect current understanding or values, it is provided in an historical context.

Right of Reply

What is the Right of Reply?

Released in August 2021, the Indigenous Archives Collective (IAC) published their Position Statement on the Right of Reply to Indigenous Knowledges and Information held in Archives with a call-to-action:

We call for the Australian sector to take a stand as Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples to prioritise the Right of Reply and support Indigenous self-determination in the GLAM sector (IAC, 2021).

The Right of Reply is a participatory archive model, where Indigenous people can directly address material related to or depicting their culture. The Right of Reply is the right to enhance, correct, update, critique or even withdraw Indigenous knowledge in collections. It is related to truth-telling, sovereignty and self-determination and recognising the weaknesses of our digital collections as Eurocentric, institutionalised and colonial, containing “issues and inherent biases associated with record making and collecting paradigms that silence and subjugate Indigenous peoples’ voices and knowledges” (IAC, 2021).

Indigenous Archives Collective (IAC) 2021, Indigenous Archives Collective Position Statement, viewed 7 September 2021, https://indigenousarchives.net/indigenous-archives-collective-position-statement-on-the-right-of-reply-to-indigenous-knowledges-and-information-held-in-archives/

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