(2) Engaging with First Peoples

Recognizing Indigenous Sovereignty, Cultural Wisdom, and Traditional Rights

• 2.1 Sovereignty: Physical
• 2.2 Sovereignty: Informational
• 2.3 Honoring Traditions
• 2.4 Language Rights
• 2.5 Cultural Wisdom
• 2.6 Ancestral Lands
• 2.7 Fisheries & Marine Rights
• 2.8 Engaging with Cetaceans & the Original Cultures of the Sea

2.1 Sovereignty: Physical

• 2.1.1 First Peoples are recognized as sovereign nations with the same diplomatic respect as non-indigenous nation-states.
• 2.1.2 Sovereignty includes self-determination, free from Eurocentric constraints.
• 2.1.3 Indigenous Nations have first rights to harvest natural resources within their own lands.
• 2.1.4 Sovereignty applies to both individual personhood and community nationhood.

2.2 Sovereignty: Informational

• 2.2.1 Indigenous data sovereignty includes genomic, proteomic, and intellectual discoveries.
• 2.2.2 Data derived from Indigenous people, land, or associated biomes must be protected.

2.3 Honoring Traditions

• 2.3.1 Indigenous nations have the right to practice their traditions and rituals.
• 2.3.2 Cultural attire, ceremonies, and practices must be honored both within and outside of Indigenous territories.

2.4 Language Rights

• 2.4.1 Indigenous languages must be included on public works and signage.
• 2.4.2 Indigenous people have the right to conduct government business in their native language.
• 2.4.3 Children must have access to education in their native language, alongside the national language.

2.5 Cultural Wisdom

• 2.5.1 Indigenous wisdom must be recorded, preserved, and respected.
• 2.5.2 Cultural knowledge should be integrated into modern research and philosophical paradigms.

2.6 Ancestral Lands

• 2.6.1 Ancestral lands are sacred, both for cultural identity and environmental preservation.
• 2.6.2 Some Indigenous legal traditions recognize land as a living entity with legal personhood.

2.7 Fisheries & Marine Rights

• 2.7.1 The Tiriti o Waitangi (1992) recognizes the rights of Maori communities to manage and protect fisheries.
• 2.7.2 Indigenous communities must have governance over marine resources within their territories.

2.8 Engaging with Cetaceans & the Original Cultures of the Sea

• 2.8.1 Indigenous perspectives on marine life and cetaceans must be recognized.
• 2.8.2 Respecting the cultural significance of whales, dolphins, and other sea creatures.