Protecting indigenous knowledge and heritage : a global challenge

Due to copyright restrictions, this item cannot be sharedThere are approximately 500 million Indigenous Peoples in the world. Wherever their homeland, they have endured a similar fate at the hands of colonizing powers. That fate has included assaults on their language and culture, commercialization of their art, and use of their plant knowledge in the development of medicine, all without consent or benefit to them. And the assault continues. In discussing these issues, the authors review how legislative schemes in countries with Indigenous populations along with the work of the United Nations and other international bodies impact on Indigenous Peoples. The authors also illustrate why current legal regimes are inadequate to protect Indigenous heritage, language and knowledge and put forward ideas for reform. Some of the specific topics covered in this book include: Eurocentric views on what constitutes cultural and intellectual property; what constitutes Indigenous knowledge and who may use it; the importance of preserving Indigenous languages; the relationship between Indigenous languages and culture; how knowledge is transmitted in Indigenous communities; issues in performing arts and artwork; and proposals for creating a legal regime that will help revive and protect Indigenous knowledge and require consent for its use