Cultural Care

1. Our Commitment

Decolonising Archive is built on a recognition that archives are not neutral. The accumulation and description of knowledge — particularly knowledge produced by and about colonised peoples — has historically served to dispossess, misrepresent, and erase. Cultural care is our attempt to operate differently.

We understand cultural care as an ongoing practice, not a policy checkbox. It requires us to centre the perspectives and sovereignty of originating communities in how we describe, present, and make accessible the materials referenced on this platform.

2. Indigenous Data Sovereignty

We acknowledge the CARE Principles for Indigenous Data Governance (Collective Benefit, Authority to Control, Responsibility, Ethics) and seek to apply them to how we handle metadata about Indigenous peoples, lands, languages, and knowledge systems.

Where archival materials originate from or describe Indigenous communities, we recognise that those communities — not archives, institutions, or this platform — are the primary custodians of that knowledge.

3. Harmful and Restricted Content

Some archival materials contain images, descriptions, or language that is harmful, outdated, or culturally inappropriate. Where we are aware of such content, we aim to contextualise it clearly. We do not reproduce primary archival content — we link to and describe materials held by external institutions.

If you encounter a record that references material you believe should be restricted, contextualised differently, or removed, please use our takedown and rights contact page.

4. Language and Description

Archival description has historically used language that reflects the biases of the institutions that created those descriptions. We are working to improve and contextualise metadata language across our archive. This is imperfect and ongoing work.

If you notice description language that is harmful or inaccurate, we welcome your report via the feedback page or takedown contact.

5. Institutional Relationships

Decolonising Archive links to materials held by universities, national archives, museums, and libraries. The cultural care practices of those institutions vary widely. Our inclusion of a link to an institution does not imply endorsement of its practices.

6. Ongoing Practice

We are a small, independent platform. Our cultural care practice is evolving. We welcome feedback, partnership, and critique from researchers, archivists, and communities. Contact us at hello@ared.design.