Background Paper on Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property and Customary Law

"Our research focuses on the following components of Indigenous intellectual property: a) Indigenous cultural expression - including songs, stories, dance and other cultural expression; and b) traditional knowledge - including ecological knowledge of biodiversity, medicinal knowledge, environmental management knowledge, and cultural and spiritual knowledge and practices...This Background Paper will explore some of the ways in which Indigenous customary laws relating to the ownership, use and exploitation of Indigenous intellectual property are restrained, protected or facilitated by Commonwealth and state laws." -- from the Introduction, p. 1.