Cultural protocols relating to deaths in Indigenous communities

• cultural protocols

The Australian media and broader community need to respect the cultural protocols of Indigenous people prohibiting the publication of names and images of recently deceased persons.

This page is a resource summarising the basic steps journalists should take when reporting deaths in Indigenous communities and providing links to relevant websites and details of a published guide for journalists.

On 1 September 2008 the Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Jenny Macklin, with Communications Minister, Stephen Conroy, called on the wider community—and the media in particular—to reflect on the distress and sadness that can result from not respecting Indigenous cultural traditions.

“We have to be sensitive to the different needs and traditions people have when coping with death, especially Indigenous Australians who hold such a special place in our nation,” Minister Macklin said.

Journalists and other should be aware that:

• In many areas of Indigenous Australia, reproduction of the names and photographs of deceased people is restricted during a period of mourning. The length of this time varies and is determined by the community.
• There is a widespread practice of modifying a deceased person’s name or using a circumlocution (e.g. ‘the old man who painted’). These can be used in referring to the deceased person.
• When a well-known individual passes away, the local community or media group may issue instructions on how the name, voice or images of this person can be used.
• If names or images are to be used, written permission should be obtained from the person’s family and/or community. When contacting the community, care should be taken to avoid using the person’s name. The context in which the request is made should make it clear who is being referred to.
• If permission is granted, it is usually restricted to the particular media outlet that applied for it. It does not mean that other media agencies can publish the name or image without seeking permission.

The most comprehensive set of guidelines for journalists, filmmakers, producers and documentary makers has been developed by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

• The ABC’s Cultural Protocol

Journalists and documentary makers should also be aware that images and voices of long-deceased persons—for example, in archival footage and photographs—may also cause distress to Indigenous people.

The Cultural Protocol includes a warning the ABC uses at the beginning of programs and on its website to alert Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers, listeners and readers:

WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are warned that the following program may contain images and voices of deceased persons.

The statement is copyright of the ABC Indigenous Programs Unit and media operatives can seek permission to use this for their own programs. Contact ABC Indigenous Program Unit at ipu@your.abc.net.au

Media workers are also reminded that the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance includes in its Code of Ethics the need to ‘respect private grief and personal privacy’.

• The MEAA Code of Ethics

The commercial television industry in Australia also has a Code of Practice, which contains advisory notes on:

• the portrayal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
• the portrayal of cultural diversity
• privacy issues.

• The industry’s code of practice.

Another useful resource for media is a book titled Signposts – A guide for journalists to reporting Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and ethnic affairs, by Kitty Eggerking and Diana Plater. The guide is published by the Australian Centre of Independent Journalism and is available for purchase on the ACIJ website