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contains clear messages targeted towards specific external actors with decision-making power, providing
just enough information to inform them why and how they should take action and what impacts their
decisions will have.
Focusing the Message
What is the overall objective of the community protocol?
What is the overall message that you would like to convey to external actors?
What are the specific messages that you would like to convey to external actors? This could
include, for example, what they should know about the community, what the community would
like them to do and how, what the community commits to doing, the legal basis for these
assertions, and so on.
Who in particular are these messages directed towards?
What do you know about these actors? What are their mandates? How do they generally
respond to communities? Awareness of such background information and insights will help you
compile a more effective message.
How can you frame the message to peak their interest and encourage them to personally invest
in and commit to the cause?
How would the community like to convey their collective voice? How could individual voices also
be shared?
How should the external actor respond? Include, for example, detailed contact information and
suggested means or procedures for communication.
C.
CONSOLIDATING INTO A PROTOCOL
The bulk of the protocol can be drawn from the documentation process (see Part II, Section II). In addition
to directing clear messages towards specific external actors, it should focus on providing concise
descriptions and supporting evidence (such as maps, photos, and graphs) to convince those actors why
they need to pay attention and take action. Consolidation into something tangible can also have great
meaning for the community. Some who have developed protocols have highlighted the self-affirming
power of having something in hand to share their identities and ways of life with outsiders, often for the
first time on their own terms.
Each protocol should be consolidated and communicated in a way and format that is meaningful and
appropriate to that community. Certain formats such as written documents may be more politically
advantageous, have greater legal certainty in negotiation processes, and be more easily understood by
external actors. However, a written document may be seen as reductionist or misrepresentative of the
complexity of the community’s worldview and visions. On the other hand, a more culturally
appropriate approach (such as through visual art, theatre, or music) may not be understood or taken
seriously by external actors. Each format will have pros and cons depending on how and why the
protocol is developed and to whom it is directed. Remember that any type of documentation is simply
a snapshot of a diverse and complex community and should not be seen as the ‘ultimate’ or final
account upon which all subsequent decisions must be made.
Overall, the consolidation process is a matter of bridging different knowledge systems, worldviews,
and forms of communication. The balance that must be sought is ensuring that it has meaning and
integrity for the community and is understood and respected by external actors.
In order to determine the most appropriate means of consolidating a protocol, the community could
discuss who should be involved in the process and how, to whom the protocol is directed and in what
contexts (for example, proactive or reactive), and how best to communicate their overall and specific
message(s). The boxes below set out key guiding questions and considerations. You could use these for
personal reflection as the facilitator as well as discussion with the broader community.