Related to our previous post, this post offers reflections on interactions with non-Indigenous researchers and assisting Pilot groups to request data that has been collected about their country. Last post explored an increasing awareness of the value of data among groups and increasing confidence to request and then use this data from external researchers. But exactly how this is data is requested is critical to what is returned and the the outcomes it can produce.
At the start of the project, ESS assumed the role of identifying and repatriating datasets (see the example from Wuthathi explored in an earlier blog post). This role has transitioned to assisting the groups themselves (usually the CRAs) to identify datasets that exist about their country and that could contribute to their monitoring program. Identifying such datasets has chiefly involved recalling previous research projects that have occurred on country, some of which the groups have been involved with as data collectors. After these datasets have been identified, the group will request the data to be returned.
However, the format in which this data is returned is critical to how it can be used. For instance, raw data sets that have not been analysed are usually completely indigestible to non-experts (even among the ESS team), let alone indigenous groups who are looking to interpret the data in specific ways that relate to culturally-produced values and indicators.
Learning note:
For this reason, the pilot groups (and ESS) have learned that they must be very specific about the format of the data or aspect of the dataset that is requested from researchers. Researchers can play an important role for local monitoring programs, possessing tools and expertise that allow them to ask and answer questions indigenous groups cannot. However, there is often the assumption that data speaks for itself or is legible to non-experts. Therefore, if the precise format or aspect of the data set that is required is not stipulated the tendency is to return raw data. This has led ask to work with groups to be more specific about the data requested, including what it will be used for and how it will contribute to the local monitoring program.