ACTIVATING - ADVANCING - BUILDING - IDSov & IDGov through

Relational Infrastructures

Across the United States (US), Tribal Nations and Indigenous communities are rebuilding the infrastructure needed to govern, control, and care for their data after centuries of Indigenous data destruction at the hands of the US settler colonial empire. Indigenous data, ranging from Tribal languages to traditional wellness models to complex scientific relationships with lands, waters, and more-than-human kin, are being rekindled, rebuilt, and brought forward through the intentional efforts of Tribal Nations and Indigenous communities. 

Relational Infrastructures are rooted in land-based relationships and collective governance ecosystems. They include sovereign data storage and management systems, governance frameworks, and sustainably designed hardware and connectivity technologies that are community-controlled, environmentally responsible, and grounded in Indigenous Peoples’ protocols.

Our Relational Infrastructures Program advances Indigenous Data Sovereignty by supporting Tribal Nations and Indigenous communities in building and sustaining relational data infrastructures that strengthen the relationships, responsibilities, and capacities needed to care for Indigenous data now and into the future.

sovereign data storage & management systems

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community-controlled governance frameworks

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sustainably designed hardware & connectivity technologies

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sovereign data storage & management systems 〰️ community-controlled governance frameworks 〰️ sustainably designed hardware & connectivity technologies 〰️

Indigenous Data Governance Ecosystems

Indigenous Data Governance Ecosystems are advanced relational frameworks that center data as relational and grounded in Indigenous worldviews, sciences, laws, protocols, processes, and responsibilities. These ecosystems bring together people, policies, technologies, and cultural foundations to ensure that Indigenous data are stewarded by Indigenous Peoples throughout the data lifecycle. From pre-creation through creation, access, analysis, sharing, and return home, Indigenous data governance ecosystems align governance structures with community values and collective accountability.

The model we bring forward here is a collaboratively developed representation of these interconnected elements. It is not prescriptive. Each Tribal Nation, community, and Indigenous Peoples should necessarily shape their own ecosystem according to their distinct worldviews, governance systems, and responsibilities. A full Concept Brief outlining this framework is forthcoming.

We know IDSov thrives on cross-community solidarity.

Since the movement’s inception, IDSov leaders have worked together across nation-states, Indigenous communities, and with like-minded partners and collaborating initiatives to exchange strategies and build capacity for IDSov and IDGov, together – so that we can build Relational Infrastructures that:

01
protect Tribal rights and uphold Indigenous Data Sovereignty

02
keep sensitive cultural, language, governance, and other data safe

03
reduce reliance on outside corporations

04
support long-term cultural and ecological sustainability

Collaborating Initiatives

  • INDIGENOUS DATA LAW LAB

    ADVANCING INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ DATA RIGHTS THROUGH LEGAL SUPPORT

    The Indigenous Data Law Lab at NYU is an initiative designed to provide legal support around AI innovation, data interventions, research, education and training that advance Indigenous Peoples' data rights. We are focused on the development and implementation of new and innovative legal approaches to Indigenous control of data that also supports the finding and re-aggregation of Indigenous data.  Our three priority areas are: Indigenous data sovereignty agreements, the development of legal and technological frameworks for Indigenous data trusts and continued work on the Indigenous Data Tech Stack that includes a search engine to find disaggregated Indigenous data from cultural and science institutions including universities. 

  • NIIWIN

    AN INDIGENOUS SOVEREIGNTY PLATFORM BY ANIMIKII

    Niiwin is a data sovereignty platform built by and for Indigenous communities by Animikii Indigenous Technology. Niiwin powers learning management systems, community archives, and data-driven applications, all on infrastructure that keeps Indigenous data under Indigenous control. Niiwin was designed with the understanding that technology alone doesn't address the challenges Indigenous Peoples face. Niiwin guided by values that promote mutual understanding and equity. That's why Niiwin has become the backbone of culturally safer software solutions we build alongside our partners.

  • Native BioData Consortium

    INDIGENOUS DATA REPOSITORY, RESEARCH CENTER & GENOMIC BIOREPOSITORY

    Native Bio is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit data repository and research center dedicated to advancing Indigenous health and tribal self-governance. It is the first Indigenous genomic biorepository led by Natives and located within a sovereign American Indian nation, the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation in Eagle Butte, South Dakota. NativeBio is agnostic to data types and a safe harbor for any peoples who seek a more secure and discretionary storage facility for biological samples and proxy data.

  • Te Pa Tuwatawata

    INDIGENOUS DATA SOVEREIGNTY REPOSITORY (DATA STORAGE)

    Te Pā Tūwatawata is an Indigenous Data Sovereignty Repository (data storage infrastructure) that is Māori designed, owned, operated, and governed. The goal is to enable Indigenous nations to have absolute autonomy over their data, starting with storage. Te Pā Tūwatawata is a distributed sovereign storage solution with the highest degrees of security, protecting privacy, freedom and the continuity of Indigenous knowledge systems. It has been designed to mirror the models of distributed tribal nations and communities to respond to the relational nature between those nations and their data. Over time Te Pā Tūwatawata aims to create a global network that supports each of the individual nodes (Indigenous communities involved).

  • D4I TDR

    DATA FOR INDIGENOUS INTERVENTIONS, INNOVATIONS, AND IMPLEMENTATIONS TRIBAL DATA REPOSITORY

    D4I TDR is culturally responsive and a trustworthy digital and policy infrastructure that safeguards Indigenous data. It prioritizes responsible data sharing and management practices for Tribally derived data. This project originated from the need to store Indigenous Common Data Elements from the National Institute of Health’s Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics - Underserved Populations (RADx-UP) COVID-19. D4I is currently under the stewardship of NativeBio and is a work in progress.

  • LOCAL CONTEXTS

    TK & BC LABELS & NOTICES

    Local Contexts is a global initiative supporting the recognition of Indigenous rights and interests. The Local Contexts Traditional Knowledge (TK) and Biocultural (BC) Labels and Notices are practical tools to embed community protocols and expectations of ethical use in collections and data. The Labels and Notices are generated and managed using the Local Contexts Hub, a unique IDSov technology platform. By focusing on Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property and Indigenous Data Sovereignty, Local Contexts helps Indigenous communities regain control over how data is collected, managed, displayed, accessed, and used in the future. 

  • Te Kahui Raraunga

    ENHANCING THE WELLBEING OF MAORI THROUGH MAORI DATA SOVEREIGNTY

    Te Kāhui Raraunga Charitable Trust (Te Kāhui Raraunga or TKR) is an independent body established in 2019 to lead the action required to realise the advocacy of the Data Iwi Leaders Group (Data ILG). TKR’s aim is to enhance the social, cultural, environmental, and economic well-being of Māori; to enable iwi, hapū and whānau Māori to access, collect and use Māori data.

  • EARTH FRIENDLY COMPUTATION

    BUILDING SUSTAINABLE COMPUTING FOR A BETTER TOMORROW

    EFC is a creative, scientific collective designing and building earth-friendly means of computation. From solar-powered data terrariums to sustainable data centers, they’re reimagining how technology can work in harmony with our planet. They believe computation can be designed and implemented in a way that is benevolent for our planet. Every community deserves determination over how their data is used and its effect on their environment.

Sovereign Data Challenges & Solutions

In the US, we are actively witnessing the federal government erase and block access to vital data for Indigenous well-being and governance. The proliferation of cloud computing means Indigenous data are often stored on corporate servers beyond the reach of Indigenous oversight.

Tribal Nations and Indigenous communities face significant infrastructure challenges, including persistent outages and service disruptions, limited resources, and reliance on extractive third-party platforms that violate laws and cultures as data in transit moves across jurisdictions.

Most off-premise and cloud systems do not reflect Indigenous protocols and place-based considerations, such as culturally-appropriate water and energy sources, natural disasters or climate change risks.

Tribal Nations and Indigenous communities must balance long development timelines for sustainable and resilient on-premise technologies (as well as their cultural implementation processes) with their immediate needs for secure data storage.

These challenges reveal the central limit of adopting mainstream data tools and technologies: they were never built to recognize the rights of Indigenous Peoples, and retrofitting colonial technologies to Indigenous principles is simply not enough.

Tribal Nations and Indigenous communities in the US need more access to data infrastructure strategies that are in alignment with their communities' values, protocols, and visions for the future.

IDSov demands sovereign data infrastructures that are designed by Indigenous Peoples, for Indigenous Peoples.

Sovereign Data Storage & Pathways

Sovereign Data Storage (SDS) is data storage that upholds Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC), not only in decisions about data collection, use, and reuse, but also in the design, deployment, and governance of the infrastructures where Indigenous data live – encouraging and ensuring that communities retain authority over how their data and data infrastructures are designed, governed, and sustained.

The concept of SDS rejects assertions of “neutral” infrastructure decisions — such as where and how data is stored, which platforms are used, and who retains control — and affirms that data infrastructure carry deep implications for Indigenous Data Sovereignty, cultural safety, and ecological responsibility.

Relational Infrastructures for Sovereign Data Storage advances a vision for sovereign data infrastructures that are accountable to Indigenous communities, embedded within Tribal jurisdictions, and designed for long-term cultural, ecological, and political sustainability.

As an Indigenous-led international collaboration, our Relational Infrastructures program builds capacity for community-controlled data storage and management systems that strengthen IDSov, IDGov, technological autonomy, and Indigenous co-learning and solidarity.

On-Premise

On-premise (or “on-prem”) Sovereign Data Storage Infrastructure refers to hosting servers and storage infrastructure within a community's physical location or private data center. This configuration is managed, maintained, and secured by the organization's IT team or an external IT partner.

On-premises storage provides complete control over hardware, software, and data; however, communities are responsible for employing skilled IT staff for procuring, installing, and maintaining the infrastructure, including security measures like firewalls and encryption.

* Communities considering on‑premises storage infrastructure should do so only when sufficient funding and IT capacity are already in place to support design, construction, and long‑term maintenance. This option is most appropriate for communities that have identified culturally appropriate locations and secured all necessary permissions for ground disturbance. Collective decision‑making should be in place to guide considerations related to waterways, land use, and other environmental or cultural resources involved in implementation.

A prior natural‑disaster risk assessment is essential, as it informs the selection of appropriate materials and technologies. Foundational data governance mechanisms should also be in development to ensure alignment with community values and sovereignty. If these steps have not yet been completed, on‑premises infrastructure may not be the right fit, as each requirement involves significant time, coordination, and community engagement. Communities should carefully assess their readiness to move through these decision‑making processes in the short term. 

Off-Premise

Off-premise (or “off-prem”) Sovereign Data Storage Infrastructure solutions usually refer to cloud storage, where data is hosted by third-party providers and accessed over the internet.

Off-prem solutions may also aid Indigenous communities in taking short-term action for Sovereign Data Storage, and not rush the collective processes necessary for deciding where culturally appropriate data infrastructure should be located, as well as which natural and cultural resources should sustain them.

* Communities that are still developing funding, organizational capacity, or broad community consensus around the components required for on‑premises solutions may find off‑premises storage to be a more appropriate starting point. Off‑prem infrastructure can complement existing systems or operate independently, offering additional layers of protection depending on the jurisdiction governing the storage environment. It can also serve as a reliable backup should on‑premises infrastructure be damaged or disrupted.

Off‑premises solutions may be especially suitable for communities managing large volumes of non‑critical data, those without available land for physical infrastructure, or those facing heightened natural‑disaster risks that make local storage less viable. This approach allows communities to advance their data governance goals while continuing to build the capacity needed for future on‑premises development. Communities are encouraged to create continuity between current priorities and capabilities with forecasted long‑term needs, preparing to store and transfer data according to its priority and sensitivity levels.

Hybrid Solution

Hybrid solutions combine on-premises storage with cloud solutions. This allows communities to keep their most sensitive and/or important data on-premises while leveraging the cloud for scalability, cost-efficiency, and remote access. This option provides greater flexibility and is beneficial during transitional phases for communities moving towards complete on-prem or off-prem designs.

With a hybrid solution, communities can balance the high upfront and iterative (scaling) capital investment, in hardware, software, and physical space, associated with deploying on-prem infrastructure.

* For many communities, the most practical and sustainable approach will be a hybrid infrastructure model. When sensitive data requires immediate secure storage, partnering with an off‑premises provider can offer an effective interim solution. Off‑premises environments can safeguard data while the community builds the funding, organizational capacity, and broad community consensus for on‑premises development. As on‑premises systems are established over time, data of varying sensitivity levels may be transitioned across infrastructures according to jurisdictional protections, cultural priorities, and governance needs.

Hybrid models also allow off‑premises solutions to remain part of the long‑term strategy, whether as supplemental storage, a secure location for highly sensitive materials, or a reliable backup layer in the event of local disruption. Communities are encouraged to evaluate short and long-term goals for both on-prem and off-prem solutions simultaneously.