Aboriginal Motifs

Functions and Philosophies.


Principles and protocols.


Respect.
The rights of Indigenous people to own and 
control their heritage, including Indigenous 
images, designs, stories and other cultural 
expressions, should be respected.
Customs and protocols for respect vary widely 
across the many and diverse communities of 
Indigenous Australian people. Respecting 
Indigenous rights to cultural heritage includes 
the following protocols.

• Acknowledgement of country.
• Public art - acknowledging land.
• Accepting diversity.

Indigenous control.

Indigenous people have the right to self determination in their cultural affairs and the expression of their cultural material. There are many ways in which this right can be respected in the creation, production and exhibition of art. One significant way is to discuss how Indigenous 

control over a project will be exercised. This raises the issue of who can represent language groups and who can give clearances of traditionally and collectively owned material. To consult effectively and gain consent for use of Indigenous cultural material in a particular project, the Indigenous people with authority for specific stories, geographic locations, styles and imagery need to be identified. Speaking to the right people is very important. Indigenous communities, whether regional, urban or remote, have an infrastructure of organisations and individuals who can advise on a range of issues – including guidance about locating Indigenous people with authority to speak for specific Indigenous cultural material.


Moral Rights and Issues


When referencing Aboriginal motifs designers should take in consideration the following.


1. Artists have the right to have their name attributed.

2. Artists have the right to have their work wrongly attributed.
3. The right of integrity.


Inappropriate treatment might also include cutting or destroying a physical artistic work or cropping a reproduction of it when reproducing it in a magazine, or reproducing it in poor quality.


Source:
http://www.australiacouncil.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/32368/Visual_arts_protocol_guide.pdf