APA 7th Referencing Guide

The following information has come from the APA manual (2019, pp.260-261).

Traditional Knowledge is referenced based on how the information was recorded.

• If the information is in a recorded format, follow the examples for how to cite that particular source (e.g. journal article, book, website, etc.). See examples below about how to acknowledge the Nation Group, when known, in your text.
• If the information is in an unrecorded format, follow the examples for Personal Communication, with the addition of the Nation Group, if known. See examples below.
• If the author, or person sharing the information is an Elder, they should be referred to as Aunty or Uncle in your narrative.
• The words, Elder, Aunty, and Uncle should not be abbreviated.

Stop and think

• Is the information accurate and appropriate?
• Is the information something you are allowed to share?
• Is the Nation Group acknowledged?
  • If so, you can also acknowledge them in your text.
  • If not, you can acknowledge in your text that this is Indigenous Knowledge with unknown origin.

If the information being referenced has been recorded, it should be referenced according to the APA style for that source (e.g. book, article).

However, you can choose to acknowledge the author as an Elder, where applicable, and Nation Group (if known) further in your text.

If the author's name includes Elder, Aunty, or Uncle in the byline of the publication, treat this as an inseparable multipart name and preserve their full name in the reference list.

Example 1

In-text citation (narrative)

Bundjalung Elder, Uncle Charles Moran, highlights the importance of stillness and listening to the lessons from Country (Moran & Moran, 2004. p. 56).

Reference list 

Moran, C.H. & Moran, G. 2004, Talk softly, listen well: Profile of a Bundjalung Elder, Charles Moran, Southern Cross University Press.

Example 2 (published interview)

Follow the format for the reference type in which the interview was published. When the person being interviewed doesn't appear in the author element in the Reference, integrate their Nation Group, title if applicable, and full name into the narrative of the sentence.

In-text citation (narrative)

Gumbaynggirr Elder, Aunty Bea Ballangarry, explains how the removal of judgement found in yarning circles provides opportunities for healing (NSW Mental Health Commission, 2016, January 20).

Reference list

NSW Mental Health Commission. (2016, Jan 20). Guunumba Sit Down Circles with Aunty Bea Ballangarry - Coffs Harbour, NSW [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgs9AqRa3n4

Example 3 (inseparable multipart name)

In-text citation (narrative)

Gumbaynggirr Elder, Aunty Shaa Smith, explains the importance of getting to know Country (Yandaarra with Gumbaynggirr Country et al, 2022).

Reference list 

Yandarra with Gumbaynggirr Country, Aunty Shaa Smith, Uncle Bud Marshall, Smith, N., Wright, S., Daley, L., & Hodge, P. (2022). Ethics and consent in more-than-human research: Some considerations from/with/as Gumbaynggirr Country, Australia. Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers, 47 (3), 709–724. https://doi.org/10.1111/tran.12520

If the information you are citing has not been recorded in a way that it can be recovered by a reader it should be cited as personal communication. This includes email, text message, online chat, direct message, personal interview, telephone conversation, live speech, unrecorded classroom lecture, memo, or letter, etc. 

• Start with the Nation Group, if known
• Include the title if applicable (E.g. Elder, then Aunty or Uncle)
• Include the first name and surname (no abbreviations) of the communicator, and as exact a date as possible, in the citation
• Do not use for quotes, or information from participants interviewed as part of personal original research
• Do not include in the Reference list

Personal communication example

In-text citation

(Bundjalung Elder, Aunty Gwen Hickling, personal communication, August 6, 2020) OR Bundjalung Elder, Aunty Gwen Hickling (personal communication, August 6, 2020)

Increasingly, Indigenous authors are including 'Country' as an author' in their works. They recognise that Country as author shows respect, points to relationships and knowledge reciprocity between Country and its peoples, and demonstrates connection to the traditional lands, seas, and waters that have contributed to the research and published work. Please note that Country "encompasses all living things and all aspects of the environment, as well as the knowledge, cultural practices and responsibilities connected with this" (Janke et al., 2021, para. 2).

If a work includes a First Nations' Country as a co-author, treat the Country name in the same way as a corporate/organisation author by using the full name in the reference:

• Be cautious with machine-generated citations as they may format a Country name as a person's surname and initials (e.g., Country, B instead of Bawaka Country). Always check and correct these citations against the original source. 
• To include Country as an author in an Endnote record, add a comma at the end of the name of the Country name (e.g., Bawaka Country,). This stops the name from being treated as a person's surname and initials when a reference is generated (e.g., Country, B.).

Further reading about Country

Janke, T., Cumpston, Z., Hill, R., Woodward, E., von Gavel, S., Harkness, P., & Morrison, J. (2021). Country and connections. Commonwealth of Australia. https://soe.dcceew.gov.au/indigenous/environment/country-and-connections

Elements of the reference

Country, & Author, B. (Nation/Language Group/Country). (Date). 

Reference list

Martuwarra River of Life, Taylor, K.S., & Poelina, A. (Nyikina Warrwa). (2021). Living waters, law first: Nyikina and Mangala water governance in the Kimberley, Western Australia. Australian Journal of Water Resources, 25(1), 40–56. https://doi.org/10.1080/13241583.2021.1880538

Ridges, M., Kelly, M. (Ngyampaa Elder), Simpson, G. (Gomileroi descendant residing on Wiradjuri Country), Leys, J., Booth, S., Friedel, M., & Ngyampaa Country. (2020). Understanding how Aboriginal culture can contribute to the resilient future of rangelands – the importance of Aboriginal core values. The Rangeland Journal, 42(5), 247–251. https://doi.org/10.1071/RJ20031