You may obtain some insights from this article:

Janke, T. (2005). Managing indigenous knowledge and indigenous cultural and intellectual property. Australian Academic & research libraries, 36(2), 95-107.

Is your research on Indigenous community in Australia or other areas?

Knowledge is never neutral. An individual's location within the social structure conditions his/her access to knowledge. This implies that there is a knowledge hierarchy and what you are told is what they want you to know. The custodians of local knowledge can grant access and therefore consent only if they want.

Mabuhay Jelina,

I suggest the Handbook of Social Research Ethics (2009) by DM Mertens and PE Ginsberg if you haven't already come across this text. Some good chapters on informed consent, indigenous peoples and research ethics. In my experience doing research with my own community, informed consent carries the expectation that I will handle, treat and  present their stories in a sensitive and loving manner. 

Go well my friend, Nite

To Arthur So,

Thank you for sharing the link. Yes I am doing my PhD research with Indigenous community in Australia, predominantly focuses with the Elders. 

Thank you too, to Ngambouk Vitalis, you are right consent only given to communal knowledge apart it is limited to family of that particular community.

Nite- mabuhay to you too,  thank you for the links too, I was hoping to get access for a hard copy, by the look of it, I can download chapter by chapter. I will be at RMIT University next month.  I received a mentorship for digital ethnography.

The UN recently adopted voluntary guidelines on FPIC, a cornerstone of UNDRIP

Distr. GENERAL

CBD/COP/DEC/XIII/18 17 December 2016

ORIGINAL: ENGLISH

CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES TO THE CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY Thirteenth meeting Cancun, Mexico, 4-17 December 2016 Agenda item 14

DECISION ADOPTED BY THE CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES TO THE CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY XIII/18. Article 8(j) and related provisions MO’OTZ KUXTAL1 VOLUNTARY GUIDELINES Voluntary guidelines for the development of mechanisms, legislation or other appropriate initiatives to ensure the “prior and informed consent”, “free, prior and informed consent” or “approval and involvement”, depending on national circumstances, of indigenous peoples and local communities2 for accessing their knowledge, innovations and practices, for fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of their knowledge, innovations and practices relevant for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, and for reporting and preventing unlawful appropriation of traditional knowledge,

Thank you, Gary, for sharing the link. My PhD research is focussed  on ethical research and informed consent and research participants knowledge are transcribed wholly and will be disseminated ethically.

Interesting question. I struggled with this delemma during my PhD. Once it is written it kinda outside the body, available for all time to come, when as we know, Aboriginal protocols along with Elders change. And, not every Elder is recognized as such by various 'community members', as such, consent may or  may not be universal. Tough question.

This is a light question for a large question.

There are a lot of things to take into consideration. Have you read http://aiatsis.gov.au/research/ethical-research/guidelines-ethical-research-australian-indigenous-studies and https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/health-ethics/ethical-issues-and-further-resources/ethical-guidelines-research-involving-aboriginal-

Also worth taking into account is who is on the supervisory team, how can you enact reciprocity, and asking who is going to benefit from the research and how...

Yes it is. But you have to be careful on issues that are sensitive. Example, sex, child labour, etc. There are issues they may not be free to disclose if they give their consent. Secondly, gender sensitive questions must be careful structured. Women hardly comment on some issues they know men can give answers and they are not allowed to talk about. Example...masquerade

Hi Paul,

Thank you for sharing your views, I agreed that not all Elders are recognised in the Indigenous community. I think, I am fortunate and the privilege to have the blessings and support by the Elders whom I work with. I have work with them for over 15 years and therefore trust and reciprocity have established. Though, I fully respect and grateful when I am allowed to hear stories and these stories are part of my PhD research. Some are stories and knowledge that are not for public domain used nor I am allowed to listen it as it belongs to the person. 

For Lorraine, thank you for sharing the link and your advice. Although, I don't have any Indigenous academic in my supervisory team, I strictly follow ethics protocols and every change I make to my data gathering tools, I always that the ethics committee are will informed and approval of changes are granted before I do the next step of my research. In terms, who will benefit, before I even think about the pursuing my PhD with the same community, I already had my supports who will part of the study. Although, I don't have an Indigenous academic in my team and made sure that my cultural advisors and mentors are from the community. I think my ethics and reciprocity seriously. That's why I have posted the question hoping to get different views from other researchers who are working or researching with the Indigenous community. In terms of who will benefit, I clearly specify that all participants will recieved the transcribe copy  of the information  they  shared to my research. I am using the CBPR as my methodology, therefore the community participant is involved from the beginning to the end of my study. One community member is being recognised as co-author of what I published (conferencres, articles and journal) 

For Odum Jude Chigozie, thank you for sharing your views, I only collect data that is relevant to my questions and research participant has the full right of what they want to share as well but I do have a training and oblige to report of any abuse to the health department. So far, it's been good apart from delays on gathering data to personal circumstances and participants availability.

Please do keep sharing, I will be forever grateful.

Reciprocity is more than sharing transcripts and co-authoring.

I am a little surprised that you do not have an Indigenous academic on your supervisory team, especially considering the focus of your research.

Hi Lorraine,

 Thank you for your message. I know and understand that reciprocity is more than that, 15 years of life spent working with Indigenous community voluntarily. So, I could spend my remaining life justifying my research and why I am doing it this way. But I don't have that luxury, I am running out with time and I will do my best to represent my research as ethically as I could do despite all the challenges along the way. If I have to do my PhD again. I will make sure that I have an Indigenous supervisor who understand. But for now, I will stay to my principles and finish my study as I promise to the Aunties and Uncles who are helping me a lot with my study. The outcome of my research is dedicated for them and for my mum and my mother in law who both passed away last year with lung cancer and to my family who put up with me my everyday grumpiness.