Voices from the dead: the uneasy case of indigenous cultural expression

Purpose Traditional cultural expression (TCE) includes music, dance, art, designs, names, signs and symbols, performances, ceremonies, architectural forms, handicrafts and narratives or many other artistic or cultural expressions [World Intellectual Property Office (WIPO)]. To constitute TCEs, the...

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Main Author: Abdul Ghani Azmi, Ida Madieha
Format: Article
Language:English
English
English
Published: Emerald Insight 2017
Subjects:
Online Access:http://irep.iium.edu.my/58458/
http://irep.iium.edu.my/58458/
http://irep.iium.edu.my/58458/
http://irep.iium.edu.my/58458/1/58458_Voices%20from%20the%20dead.pdf
http://irep.iium.edu.my/58458/2/58458_Voices%20from%20the%20dead_SCOPUS.pdf
http://irep.iium.edu.my/58458/3/58458_Voices%20from%20the%20dead_WOS.pdf
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recordtype eprints
spelling iium-584582017-09-25T03:50:18Z http://irep.iium.edu.my/58458/ Voices from the dead: the uneasy case of indigenous cultural expression Abdul Ghani Azmi, Ida Madieha K Law (General) Purpose Traditional cultural expression (TCE) includes music, dance, art, designs, names, signs and symbols, performances, ceremonies, architectural forms, handicrafts and narratives or many other artistic or cultural expressions [World Intellectual Property Office (WIPO)]. To constitute TCEs, the expressions must form part of the identity and heritage of a traditional or indigenous community and need to be passed down from generation to generation (Kuprecht, 2014). This paper aims to analyse the protection of TCE in Malaysia by focusing on the Mah Meri tribe. This paper examines copyright over TCE, recordation as a means of preserving a dying tradition and customary practices and native law. Design/methodology/approach Information is drawn from personal discussions with the weavers and carvers of the Mah Meri tribe, and a focus group discussion with subject matter experts. As a way of comparison, a personal visit has been made to Sarawak Biodiversity Centre, Sarawak Native Courts, the Dayak Iban Association and Dayak Bidayuh Association. Findings The research found that copyright law has no specific provision for the protection of TCEs. Customary practices of the indigenous people and the native law of Sarawak have limited effect outside their traditional domain. Recordation and documentation of TCEs are the prime initiatives, but the documents or the recordings do not carry any legal status. Research limitations/implications The research is limited only to the Mah Meri tribe with a comparison drawn to the Dayak Iban and Dayak Bidayuh tribe. Practical implications The research examines the practical implications of copyright and recording and documentation of cultural expression in Malaysia. Social implications The research sets to unearth and highlight the ideation process in a tribal setting and how that clashes with the formal creation setting in a modern intellectual property system. Originality/value This paper was presented at the IAITL Congress 2013. It also appeared in the Conference Proceedings edited by Slyvia Kieerkgard, but it has not been published in any journals. Emerald Insight 2017 Article PeerReviewed application/pdf en http://irep.iium.edu.my/58458/1/58458_Voices%20from%20the%20dead.pdf application/pdf en http://irep.iium.edu.my/58458/2/58458_Voices%20from%20the%20dead_SCOPUS.pdf application/pdf en http://irep.iium.edu.my/58458/3/58458_Voices%20from%20the%20dead_WOS.pdf Abdul Ghani Azmi, Ida Madieha (2017) Voices from the dead: the uneasy case of indigenous cultural expression. International Journal of Law and Management, 59 (4). pp. 522-533. ISSN 1754-243X http://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1108/IJLMA-03-2016-0027 10.1108/IJLMA-03-2016-0027
repository_type Digital Repository
institution_category Local University
institution International Islamic University Malaysia
building IIUM Repository
collection Online Access
language English
English
English
topic K Law (General)
spellingShingle K Law (General)
Abdul Ghani Azmi, Ida Madieha
Voices from the dead: the uneasy case of indigenous cultural expression
description Purpose Traditional cultural expression (TCE) includes music, dance, art, designs, names, signs and symbols, performances, ceremonies, architectural forms, handicrafts and narratives or many other artistic or cultural expressions [World Intellectual Property Office (WIPO)]. To constitute TCEs, the expressions must form part of the identity and heritage of a traditional or indigenous community and need to be passed down from generation to generation (Kuprecht, 2014). This paper aims to analyse the protection of TCE in Malaysia by focusing on the Mah Meri tribe. This paper examines copyright over TCE, recordation as a means of preserving a dying tradition and customary practices and native law. Design/methodology/approach Information is drawn from personal discussions with the weavers and carvers of the Mah Meri tribe, and a focus group discussion with subject matter experts. As a way of comparison, a personal visit has been made to Sarawak Biodiversity Centre, Sarawak Native Courts, the Dayak Iban Association and Dayak Bidayuh Association. Findings The research found that copyright law has no specific provision for the protection of TCEs. Customary practices of the indigenous people and the native law of Sarawak have limited effect outside their traditional domain. Recordation and documentation of TCEs are the prime initiatives, but the documents or the recordings do not carry any legal status. Research limitations/implications The research is limited only to the Mah Meri tribe with a comparison drawn to the Dayak Iban and Dayak Bidayuh tribe. Practical implications The research examines the practical implications of copyright and recording and documentation of cultural expression in Malaysia. Social implications The research sets to unearth and highlight the ideation process in a tribal setting and how that clashes with the formal creation setting in a modern intellectual property system. Originality/value This paper was presented at the IAITL Congress 2013. It also appeared in the Conference Proceedings edited by Slyvia Kieerkgard, but it has not been published in any journals.
format Article
author Abdul Ghani Azmi, Ida Madieha
author_facet Abdul Ghani Azmi, Ida Madieha
author_sort Abdul Ghani Azmi, Ida Madieha
title Voices from the dead: the uneasy case of indigenous cultural expression
title_short Voices from the dead: the uneasy case of indigenous cultural expression
title_full Voices from the dead: the uneasy case of indigenous cultural expression
title_fullStr Voices from the dead: the uneasy case of indigenous cultural expression
title_full_unstemmed Voices from the dead: the uneasy case of indigenous cultural expression
title_sort voices from the dead: the uneasy case of indigenous cultural expression
publisher Emerald Insight
publishDate 2017
url http://irep.iium.edu.my/58458/
http://irep.iium.edu.my/58458/
http://irep.iium.edu.my/58458/
http://irep.iium.edu.my/58458/1/58458_Voices%20from%20the%20dead.pdf
http://irep.iium.edu.my/58458/2/58458_Voices%20from%20the%20dead_SCOPUS.pdf
http://irep.iium.edu.my/58458/3/58458_Voices%20from%20the%20dead_WOS.pdf
first_indexed 2023-09-18T21:22:40Z
last_indexed 2023-09-18T21:22:40Z
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