| Description |
"Regional Leaders requested for action.
(a) Six countries selected to start work and the Cook Islands was one of the six;
(b) Policies were developed with the help of WIPO.
Current status
The Cook Islands’ draft bill is being refined for enactment, and it is projected to be passed in Parliament this year.
What is Traditional Knowledge?
Knowledge of our ancestor’s practices passed on through generations as a resource for best practice and survival. (To show the world our identity, and to stake our claim using set ways of doing these cultural traditions);
The Ministry of Culture was created in 1990 with its principle function and objective being to preserve, perpetuate, and enhance the Cook Islands’ cultural heritage to uphold tradition and develop an appreciation for this important national resource. Added to that is the key element of being able to maintain the unique cultural national identity of the people of the Cook Islands.
How do we protect TK in the Cook Islands?
By meeting with individuals and communities to record and create a data file on cultural knowledge and practices allowed drafting a format of TK policies to safeguard this knowledge. It is noted also that the local communities led the development of these policies relevant to their traditional knowledge.
The response from the individuals and communities was one of enthusiasm, and they were very receptive to the idea of recording data on their knowledge. The consultation was open, and it was carried out over several sessions, giving the community a strong sense of responsibility to the information being imparted. " |
