Misappropriation of Indigenous Cultural Heritage – Intellectual Property Rights in the Digital Era

The digitization of cultural heritage has become a common practice among cultural and educational institutions. The Internet and the widespread of new technologies have made the heritage more accessible and facilitates cultural exchange. However, digitization both raises challenges and creates opportunities for the sustainable and appropriate treatment of Indigenous digital cultural heritage collections, as the use of new technologies may render such heritage more vulnerable to misappropriation and misuse. It is therefore vital to investigate the possibilities of Intellectual Property tools to protect, preserve, and promote such heritage. This article addresses the following questions with respect the Indigenous heritage: What is the nature of the relationship between IP protection and the safeguarding of intangible heritage?; What are the consequences of misappropriation and misuse of traditional cultural expressions for Indigenous Peoples?; and What is the impact of digitization on Indigenous cultural heritage?