Letter to the Editor. Re: “[Indigenous dataset of Dayak, Malay, and Chinese communities in Sintang Regency, West Kalimantan, Indonesia by A. Gandasari et al., Data in Brief, 2024, 53, 110147]”

Abstract

Gandasari and colleagues [1] open an important opportunity for us to consider how social scientists might contribute to preserving Indigenous cultures in Indonesia. The focus of these authors was on releasing for open use Indigenous data collected from Dayak, Malay, and Chinese communities in Sintang Regency, West Kalimantan, Indonesia. In this commentary, we respond to key issues raised by Gandasari and colleagues [1] to engage in a productive discussion regarding the broader ethical considerations and implications of publishing such Indigenous datasets in academic journals. The main argument of this commentary is that we need to consider the potential ethical dilemmas that come with extracting and releasing such Indigenous knowledge beyond the contexts within which they are located. Central to this commentary is an assertion regarding the need for researchers to consider the perspectives of Indigenous groups in determining what is ethical conduct regarding the use of their knowledge. Also considered are how attempts by researchers to preserve Indigenous cultures by giving their ‘data’ away reflect broader concerns around the commodification of what we often refer to as data, but which is often understood by Indigenous peoples as their histories, knowledge, and treasured and often sacred insights into the human condition. Working with such knowledge requires us to engage with Indigenous ethics and issues of power between groups in society.