Field Guide
Consentful Recording for Living Traditions
A practical, values-led guide for documenting ceremonies, interviews, and cultural practices with respect, clarity, and reciprocal intent.
Purpose alignment
Write a brief intent statement that names audience, format, and how the community benefits. Revisit it with participants before and after recording.
- Why this story, why now, who holds it?
- How will consent be refreshed if scope shifts?
- What does reciprocity look like for contributors?
Consent scripts
Plain-language prompts to invite informed choice. Offer time to reflect and decline. Include boundaries on reuse, translation, and archiving.
“You can stop at any moment; no reason needed.”
“If we translate or excerpt, we will ask again first.”
“Tell us which names, places, or elements must stay private.”
Context packets
Share how recordings will be framed: historical notes, pronunciation guides, and cultural protocols. Include who can request takedowns.
- Origin story + acknowledgements
- Usage boundaries (no remix, no AI training)
- Contact route for edits or removal
Practical checklist
Before, during, after
- Pre-recording: confirm permissions, clarify sacred elements, align on language to avoid misrepresentation.
- During: re-check comfort levels, pause when emotions rise, restate options to redact or retry.
- Post: share transcripts, invite edits, confirm sharing destinations, schedule consent refresh in 6–12 months.
Cultural safety
Guardrails
- Use community-approved translators; avoid automated translation for sacred terms.
- Store raw files with limited access; apply encryption and expiration dates.
- Tag sensitive segments; require moderator review before public release.
- Provide honoraria or resource-sharing aligned with community preference.
Templates
Use and adapt these starters
Consent form
Plain-language, includes revocation, translation, and derivative-use checkboxes.
Format: PDF + editable doc
Context sheet
Origins, meanings, pronunciation, “do/don’t” cultural notes, and steward contacts for corrections.
Format: Markdown + printable
Data log
Tracks storage location, access roles, consent status, review dates, and takedown channels.
Format: Spreadsheet template
Role-based guidance
Tailored practices for teams
Facilitators
Pre-brief participants, model opt-outs, and narrate what is being recorded. Keep a “consent clock” visible and pause at emotional peaks.
Tip: rehearse refusal-normalizing phrases before sessions.
Editors
Tag sensitive segments, avoid sensational framing, and include context boxes with provenance and restrictions. Send previews for approval.
Checklist: context notes, pronunciation, sacred elements, approvals.
Archivists
Use tiered access (public/member/restricted), time-bound consent, and takedown channels. Encrypt in transit and at rest.
Rotation: re-verify consent every 6–12 months.
Scenario: sacred song
A family offers a lullaby used only at births. We record audio only, blur location data, and mark the file as “circle-only.” We add pronunciation notes and forbid AI training use.
Outcome: steward-approved sharing with context sheet attached.
Tech setup checklist
- Dual audio channels + backup device
- Local storage first; upload after consent recap
- Label files with consent scope and expiry date
- Keep offline copies for restricted stories