Can copyright be reconciled with First Nations’ interests in visual arts?
Nov 2nd, 2008 by Steffanie Reid
http://www.ubcic.bc.ca/files/PDF/shand.pdf
This is a link to a pdf file of a paper written by Peter Shand, a non-aboriginal New Zealander, and presented at the University of British Columbia in February 2000 at an event organized by the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs.
This paper, written in an easily accessible, entertaining style, looks at the effect that modern art forms (such as fashion) have had on tribal art forms.
Tribal art motifs have been used (with and without permission from the tribes in question) in many avenues outside of their original purpose, and it is hard to protect them via copyright as their origin cannot be traced to any one particular artist.
In this paper, Peter Shand looks at the various ways tribal art is being used today and whether or not it could be possible for copyright laws to accommodate this artform.
An interesting read, written carefully and respectfully from an outsiders viewpoint, this is an excellent resource to include in research on Aboriginal intellectual property rights.