Bioprospecting and decolonization of ex situ collections for Indigenous data sovereignty in Australia

Abstract Australian government herbariums and museums are repositories of flora and fauna specimens collected from across Australia. This has occurred since before Australia was colonized and to the present time, often by explorers and researchers using Indigenous people’s traditional knowledge to identify and locate culturally significant species. The colonial legacy of Australia is embedded in ex situ collections of biological specimens and related data, which mostly predate international treaties promoting benefit-sharing with Indigenous peoples for using their traditional knowledge. Collections of culturally significant biological specimens and associated data should be recognized as cultural property and managed according to Indigenous data sovereignty principles including for attribution and nomenclature. This article presents an example of Australian native tobacco biodiscovery in Australia and pathways for integrating principles of Indigenous data sovereignty for decolonization of ex situ collections and for promoting a rights-based approach.