Indigenous artists and their communities retain complete ownership of the artwork they submit, as well as any reproductions derived from publicly available historical archives. The Thunderbird Partnership Foundation asserts no ownership rights over these works. All cultural knowledge and artistic expressions remain the sole property of the creators and their communities. Indigenous communities maintain full control over the digitization, usage, and distribution of their submitted artwork. They also have the right to request access, offer input, or request the removal of digital reproductions of their artwork and/or patterns.

Access to the digitally reproduced artwork is governed by the consent and protocols established by the contributing communities. When Thunderbird collaborates with artists and communities to create a digital reproduction, we ensure that access is granted according to their preferences, respecting their right to decide how their cultural heritage is shared and who benefits from it. Thunderbird may hold digital copies of the, but possession does not imply ownership. We manage these copies in a way that respects the community’s ongoing control over their cultural property, ensuring the artwork remains connected to its source when possible.

Our commitment to ethical practices includes obtaining informed consent, respecting cultural protocols, and ensuring that reproduced artwork from submission is used in ways that honor the artist’s intent and the community’s values. This is fundamental to maintaining the trust and respect of Indigenous communities. Thunderbird is responsible for ensuring that all reproduction processes adhere to the highest ethical standards. This includes respecting the cultural significance of the artwork, avoiding harm to the community, and aligning the reproduction process with the community’s values and expectations.

The well-being of the community is always prioritized over external interests. Informed consent is critical. Before reproducing any new artwork, we seek explicit consent from the artist and their community, ensuring that appropriate credit is given if the artwork is to be used in Thunderbird’s materials. This consent process is ongoing, allowing for review, revisions, or revoking their consent as needed. Indigenous voices are central to all decision-making processes for new reproductions, from submission to final use.

Thunderbird operates with full transparency in all matters related to the digital reproduction of Indigenous artwork submissions. We maintain open communication with artists and communities regarding how their artwork is being used, ensuring all actions are accountable. The digital reproduction is shared with the contributing communities whenever possible and requests can be made from source communities at any time. For patterns predating 1900, where records may be incomplete, we strive to identify the relevant communities as accurately as possible, acknowledging that the historical documentation may be inaccurate or incomplete.

The privacy and confidentiality of contributing communities are protected throughout the submission and reproduction process. Any sensitive cultural knowledge associated with the artwork is handled with care, and any public sharing is done in accordance with the community’s wishes.