I am lucky enough to work alongside Dr. Alan Boraas, a Professor of Anthropology here at Kenai Peninsula College. Dr. Boraas is a great resource for knowledge on a number of local and national topics. He has worked extensively with Alaska Native cultures and traditions, namely the Kenaitze tribe. He coedited the book Dena’ina Legacy — K’tl’egh’i Sukdu: The Collected Writings of Peter Kalifornsky by Peter Kalifornsky.
You can read more about his career in this Wikipedia entry, and see his open course content for Cook Inlet Culture History: Anthropology 325.
Bonus Fact: Dr. Boraas’s daughter is a former Intellectual Property Lawyer.
After coming across various resources in readings in IP, namely the WIPO site on Traditional Knowledge, I asked him to share his thoughts and experiences with me on intellectual property related to traditional knowledge.
Dr. Boraas is a seasoned storyteller so I am pleased he agreed to share his experiences in an audio interview.
Peter Kalifornsky (left) working with Dr. Alan Boraas (right)
He brings up many new, complex issues. Do you have any additional questions that come to mind after hearing his thoughts?
Assignment: 10pts
Interview with a Stakeholder
Find someone with a stake in intellectual property and interview them about their opinion on intellectual property in their area of expertise.
Very interesting thought regarding the inclusion of oral stories in a publication when inclusion of those stories might have implications on people about whom they are written. Thank you for sharing.