Guidelines for citing Indigenous Knowledge are given on the APA Style website.
Guidelines for naming Indigenous Peoples are also given on the APA Style website (Racial and Ethnic Identity).
• Indigenous knowledge encompasses many forms, including cultural language, art, stories, dance, and the written word. Proper acknowledgement of these in academic writing recognises the authority and expertise handed down by Indigenous Knowledge Keepers.
• Capitalise most terms related to Indigenous Peoples, including words related to the culture (such as Elder and Traditional Knowledge), and names of specific groups (such as Anangu Pitjantjatjara and Arrernte).
• Most secondary sources of Indigenous knowledge can be cited as per the guidelines for the specific source consulted. When deciding whether to include a secondary source, you should consider whether the source is appropriate. The decision tree on page 7 of the CAVAL Indigenous Knowledges Citation Guide can help you evaluate your source of information.
• If the information has been recorded and is recoverable by readers, cite it in the text and include a reference list entry in the correct format for that format, e.g. video, recorded interview, book, article.
• If the information is not recorded, and therefore not recoverable by readers, include an in-text citation but no reference list entry. A variation of the Personal Communication citation can be used for the in-text citation.
• In instances when no reference list entry is given, provide as much detail in the in-text citation as is necessary to describe and contextualise the information. See Citing Personal Communications with Indigenous Peoples.
• Work with any Indigenous People you communicate with to ensure your wording accurately represents their perspectives, that the information is suitable to be included in your work, and that they agree to having their name included.
For ease of use, this guide divides reference list entries into different formats.
Select the format you require from the Reference List Entries menu or select from the links below: