Considerations

We don't care what you know until we know that you care.
Dr. Daniel Wildcat, Yuchi member of the Muscogee Nation of Oklahoma

Some indigenous peoples will want to provide TEK for projects and will broach the subject. Other times, federal employees may have a project that would benefit from TEK inclusion.

The Superintendent or Cultural and/or Natural Resources staff will identify a professional TEK researcher to coordinate the project. The professional TEK researcher selected should have: familiarity and experience with the indigenous community, experience using ethnographic protocols and methodologies, a foundation of trust with the community(ies), an understanding that TEK is not tied to the researcher's timetable, time to have experiences in the indigenous community(ies), and the ability to leave one's own conceptions and predispositions behind to learn and experience the breadth of TEK.

The TEK researcher may establish a team, consisting of tribal staff members and agency staff members, to explore the proposed project. The researcher and funding agency will should request permission from the Tribal Council or governing body and any appropriate elders groups or societies for the proposed research project. The researcher or another team member is responsible for checking with the indigenous community about its established research protocols and ensuring compliance with them.

Considerations are things that need to be done and/or be addressed through existing processes. Laws, regulations and polices provide guidance on these topics. Check out these pages for information on a few specific topics:






Last updated: March 10, 2016

Tools