GUIDELINES FOR RESPECTING CULTURAL KNOWLEDGE
Public information: Information, which no longer belongs
to an individual or group, but has become public
property and the general public is allowed to use it.
Informants and/or members of a cultural group have a
right to understand the use that will be made of their
contributions before cultural knowledge is shared and
allowed to become public information.
Release form: A signed form allowing the performance, sale,
publication, use or circulation of information or a
creation. The conditions and future use of the
information or creation must be clearly expressed and
explained to the contributor prior to signing any release.
This information should include copyright and trademark
or other ownership rights (see also Consent form).
Repository: A place where things are placed for safekeeping
such as archives, libraries, museums.
Sensitive cultural information: Cultural information or
details that are delicate in nature and not meant to be
shared with the general public or those outside of that
cultural group.
Traditional names: Names that have a history of being
commonly used by indigenous and/or local communities;
indigenous names are those derived from the language of
the people who have inhabited the area for countless
generations and are preserved in that language.
Transcript: A written copy of information that has been
shared orally. Usually in printed form including
typewritten copies, or copies stored in a computer, on
disk or by any other electronic storage and retrieval
system.
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