The Sweetgrass Protocols for Culturally Responsible Journalism are designed to cultivate relational accountability in journalism. They help ensure that reporting on Indigenous Peoples is accurate, ethical, and grounded in respect for cultural sovereignty. Inspired by the braiding of sweetgrass—where three strands symbolize respect, reciprocity, and responsibility—these protocols invite journalists to treat reporting as a relationship, not an extractive transaction.

The protocols are rooted in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and affirm Indigenous Peoples’ rights to self-determination, cultural integrity, and free, prior, and informed consent.

At their foundation, the protocols encourage journalists to:

Build Relationships of Trust – Engage with Indigenous communities through sustained dialogue rather than parachute reporting.

Seek Free, Prior, and Informed Consent – Ensure communities have a voice in how their stories are told, including the right to decline participation.

Respect Cultural Protocols – Acknowledge and honor community traditions, knowledge systems, and forms of governance in the reporting process.

Uphold Accuracy and Accountability – Challenge stereotypes and misinformation by foregrounding Indigenous voices and verifying facts with cultural sensitivity.

Support Community Agency – Center Indigenous perspectives not as add-ons, but as authoritative sources shaping the narrative.

The Sweetgrass Protocols can serve as a checklist, but it is a living framework that is meant to evolve through dialogue with Indigenous Peoples and applied according to the specific contexts of each community. Like braiding sweetgrass, they require patience, intention, and care.

The three strands—respect, reciprocity, and responsibility—remind us that journalism is not just about telling stories, but about honoring relationships and ensuring that Indigenous voices are represented with dignity and truth.

By following these protocols, journalists move beyond the role of “chroniclers” to also become ethically-driven partners in the work of justice, resurgence, and cultural continuity.