Ethnographic Baseline Survey Protocol (ILO 169-Aligned)

This protocol transcends conventional social impact assessments by rejecting extractive data collection in favor of co-produced knowledge grounded in relational accountability, long-term engagement, and decolonial ethics. It begins with formal recognition of Indigenous authority—requiring consent from legitimate representative bodies (e.g., traditional councils, elders’ collectives)—and mandates iterative consultation cycles embedded within seasonal, ceremonial, and kinship rhythms rather than project timelines. Methodologically, it integrates deep ethnography (e.g., participant observation, life-history interviews, linguistic mapping), spatial ethnography (territorial use and occupancy mapping using GIS-supported oral histories and drone-assisted participatory cartography), and intergenerational knowledge documentation (e.g., youth-elder knowledge transfer workshops recorded in community-controlled archives). Crucially, the protocol embeds reflexive power analysis: researchers must disclose institutional affiliations, funding sources, and potential conflicts; all data ownership, access protocols, and dissemination rights are vested in the community under legally enforceable data sovereignty agreements (e.g., CARE principles, OCAP®-aligned clauses). Its implementation directly informs FPIC processes, resettlement action plans, benefit-sharing frameworks, and grievance redress mechanisms—ensuring that baseline data does not merely describe but actively enables self-determination and jurisdictional assertion.