Aotearoa Genomic Data Repository: general information for users

The Aotearoa Genomic Data Repository (AGDR) provides secure within-nation storage, management and sharing of non-human genomic data generated from samples originating in Aotearoa New Zealand. These biological and environmental samples, and their respective data, are of significant importance to Māori, the Indigenous people of Aotearoa.

Due to the importance of this data to Māori, the repository has been developed to follow the principles of Māori Data Sovereignty. As such, datasets within the AGDR are overseen by tribal custodians, generally referred to as kaitiaki, who exercise their responsibilities as guardians over biological entities that are considered as taonga (precious or treasured).

While the repository is designed to facilitate the sharing of data — making it findable by researchers and interoperable with data held in other genomic repositories — the decision- making process regarding who can access the data is entirely in the hands of kaitiaki who maintain kaitiakitanga (guardianship) over each dataset.

Note that the data contained in this repository are stored on servers that are physically located within New Zealand and are thus safeguarded by the rights and obligations within New Zealand’s founding Treaty agreement, Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

For researchers who are interested in either submitting genomic data to the repository, or utilising data that is held within it, please take note of the following points:

1. This is not an Open Access data repository: genomics information from taonga species is itself considered taonga. As such, inappropriate or unauthorised use or sharing of such data has the potential to violate Māori Data Sovereignty rights inherent in Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Additionally, the inappropriate use of data diminishes the life essence (mauri) of the organisms being studied, and opposes the traditional rights and responsibilities for data management maintained by the respective kaitiaki. To protect these rights and responsibilities, most data sets can therefore only be downloaded after a “data access request” has been submitted and approved.

2. Data sets may only be used expressly as detailed in the approved data access request, and access is restricted to individuals who have been explicitly named in the approval. Unless specifically noted, the transfer or subsequent re-upload of the data (or any derivatives thereof) to any other data repository or storage system is strictly prohibited. For some data sets, these restrictions will extend to research publications – these may require additional approval procedures prior to manuscript submission if data or information from the repository is to be included.

3. It is expected that genomic data submitted to the repository includes information about Māori consultation and kaitiakitanga relating to the samples from which the data have been generated. This will include kaitiaki contact information for the relevant iwi or hapū and/or their delegated representatives. Kaitiaki will be contacted as part of the data submission process to confirm that contributing researchers have permission to upload data to the repository. Kaitiaki will also be contacted as part of the “data access request” process and will be involved in determining whether or not an application can be approved, and if so, what the requested data may be used for.