In our discussions with knowledge keepers and community members about protecting traditional knowledge, several patterns and practices emerged that could reduce reluctance to share traditional knowledge while making the most of today's technologies, and at the same time addressing concerns about trauma and misuse and appealing to younger generations.

• Centering Indigenous Control and Ownership: A fundamental framework is ensuring that Indigenous communities and knowledge holders have full control over how their knowledge is documented, stored, accessed, and used. This includes establishing and following Indigenous-led protocols for the use of technology in knowledge transmission that build on previous work such as OCAP. Protocols are for those with a history of appropriation and misuse of traditional knowledge, but the goal is to ensure transmission to descendants who good discipline and intentions. Recognizing Indigenous intellectual property rights must allow Indigenous communities to define their knowledge and benefit from appropriate use.
• Trauma-Informed Approaches: Recognizing the intergenerational trauma stemming from colonialism and residential schools is crucial. This means prioritizing the well-being and safety of knowledge holders, allowing them to share on their own terms, and understanding that some knowledge may be too painful or sacred to record. It also involves acknowledging that forced recording in the past was a tool of assimilation.
• Ethical Engagement with Elders and Knowledge Keepers: We must respect Elders and traditional knowledge keepers in more than just token ways. People with knowledge often continue to sacrifice in order to earn, use and teach that knowledge to others. Elders should be recognized as the authorities on their knowledge and involved in every stage of the process, from planning to dissemination. Their roles as guardians responsible for the good use and transmission of knowledge must be honored.
• Community-Based and Participatory Methods: Knowledge should be learned and taught by the community. This ensures that the methods and technologies used are culturally appropriate and meet the community's needs. Sharing of stories and knowledge discovery should be participatory rather than simply extracting information, and occur in culturally safe spaces for intergenerational learning where youth can directly connect with Elders.
• Purposeful and Respectful Use of Technology: Technology should be a tool to augment, not replace, traditional ways of teaching and learning. It can be used to document and preserve knowledge respectfully for future generations. Elders interviewed noted that if ancestors had access to technology, they would likely use it to share knowledge. However, the focus should remain on the authenticity and integrity of the knowledge being shared.
• Creating Accessible and Engaging Content for Youth: To appeal to young people, the knowledge can be presented in formats they like to access, such as digital storytelling, videos, and interactive platforms. However, we must respect the spiritual and cultural context of the knowledge, and ensure that learners understand their responsibilities to apply and share their learnings without distortion. We can weave together traditional Indigenous and Western knowledge to build stories of resilience.
• Safeguards and Accountability Measures: Implementing accountability measures can protect Indigenous knowledge from misuse. Teaching youth about the safeguards that exist to protect their stories, songs, and knowledge systems is key to protecting against unintentional emotional, spiritual, or other harm. This can include understanding the story that comes with how knowledge was obtained.
• Addressing Misconceptions and Promoting Understanding: Technology can be used to counteract colonial narratives that devalue Indigenous cultures. Sharing oral histories and creation stories allows Indigenous peoples to reclaim their narratives. Supporting public education initiatives using various media can help non-Indigenous people understand the true history and value of Indigenous knowledge, which can foster a more respectful environment for sharing.
• Focusing on the Spiritual Significance: Many Elders see the spiritual dimension of Indigenous knowledge as being the most important. Technology should be used in ways that do not diminish the sacredness of certain knowledge.
• Recognizing the Oral Tradition's Strengths: While technology can be helpful, it's important to remember that the oral tradition itself has inherent strengths, including the personal connection between teacher and learner and the understanding that knowledge comes with responsibility. Elders may refuse recording to maintain the ability to adjust teaching to the learner's maturity. 

This project is funded in part by the Government of Canada.