Respectfully representing Indigenous knowledge in Wikidata
10-30, 20:30–20:55 (UTC), Room 3

CAPACOA has been exploring how Indigenous knowledge can be adequately and respectfully represented over the Web of data. Even though this consultative process isn’t over yet, the project team has observed a few areas of tension emerging between Indigenous modes of communicating information and modes of representing information in Wikidata. Among other things, the use of colonial exonyms for labels of Indigenous nations presents a real problem for many Indigenous artists. This session will take the form of a series of very short presentations on preliminary findings with related questions inviting input from the Wikidata community.


Link to notes

https://etherpad.wikimedia.org/p/WikidataCon2021-RespectfullyrepresentingIndige

What will the participants take away from this session?

We hope participants will leave the session with a greater appreciation of the specificities of Indigenous concepts and of the need to adapt Wikidata so that Indigenous peoples don’t feel like Wikidata is just another colonial platform.

Language

English

Recording

Yes

Link to slides

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1GYLzQ0DjDmxyiH_DeIexVxXsN7-0Rh_Hn6Cmm1i85iw/edit?usp=sharing

Other links

Blog post with preliminary findings: https://linkeddigitalfuture.ca/2021/06/22/wikidata-with-five-indigenous-artists/

Upcoming presentation on the same topic: https://cpi.fmdoc.org/session/la-representation-des-savoirs-autochtones-dans-le-web-des-donnees/ (the description highlights seemingly contradictory principles between the articles of the UN Declaration on the Right of Indigenous Peoples and the principles of Indigenous Data Sovereignty)

Frédéric Julien works in the performing arts as an administrator, a researcher and an activist. He currently holds the position of Director of Research and Development at the Canadian Association for the Performing Arts (CAPACOA). Since 2018, he leads the Linked Digital Future Initiative, which deploys a range of activities fosters a data-centric transformation digital transformation in the performing arts. Wikidata is an essential tool in this transformation.

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