Supporting Indigenous data sovereignty through custom-built technology
About One Nation Governance
One Nation Governance is an Indigenous-owned company based in Canada, dedicated to empowering First Nations communities to take full control over their member and cultural data. Their mission is rooted in the belief that data should be governed by the communities it belongs to — through tools that respect traditional governance structures, cultural practices, and community-defined logic.
To bring this vision to life, One Nation Governance is supported by ColdSnake, its in-house development team responsible for designing and building the digital infrastructure behind the platform. From digital ID systems and genealogy tools to cultural recordkeeping and strategic consulting, the work is centered on self-determination and community-led design — created with, not for, the Nations they serve.
The Challenge
Many Indigenous communities across Canada manage critical information, such as family connections, band membership, and governance records, using spreadsheets, disconnected platforms, or paper archives. These systems are often fragile, hard to update, and don’t reflect the complexity of how each Nation organizes itself.
There was a need for a digital infrastructure that could:
Respect and adapt to each community’s specific governance and cultural structures
Make information easy to access and manage, while remaining secure and protected
Be co-created — not imposed — with community input every step of the way
Our Approach
ColdSnake is the team responsible for developing the core digital platform powering One Nation Governance. The system was built to:
Adapt to different governance models and community logics
Provide secure access and storage of sensitive cultural and membership data
Offer visual and intuitive tools for administrators and Elders
Be scalable across multiple First Nations with customizable modules
Key principles we followed:
Start with listening: Every feature was shaped by interviews, collaborative workshops, and iterative feedback loops
Community-owned data: Information stays within the Nation, with robust access controls
Modular structure: Communities can choose which tools to activate and customize
Simple, intuitive design: Built for ease of use by Elders, staff, and administrators alike
What We Built Together
Here are some of the core modules developed in partnership:
Genealogy Tree
Visualize family relationships and traditional kinship systems.
Interactive family tree that reflects community-defined relationships
Optional integration with historical records and PDFs
Support for custom relationship types (e.g., clan-based ties)
Member Management System
Securely store and manage information about community members.
Custom data fields based on community needs
Profile pages with key information at a glance
Tools to add/remove/update members easily
Search and filtering systems for quick access
ID Management
Issue, track, and manage community-issued identification cards.
Issue personalized ID cards (digital or printable)
Track which IDs have been issued, replaced, or are pending
Connect ID status to member profiles and eligibility data
Support for community branding, photos, signatures, and expiry logic
Audit trails for transparency
Community Dashboard
A centralized view of key metrics and activities.
Real-time statistics: number of active members, age distributions, regions
Region maps showing where members live
Actionable summaries for administrators
Development Approach
We followed an iterative, co-design process, working closely with One Nation and directly with First Nations staff and Elders.
Highlights:
Weekly co-design sessions with feedback from real users
Development cycles broken into 2-week sprints
Built-in flexibility to change logic as community needs evolved
High priority on security, clarity, and data ownership
We didn’t just build a product — we helped communities shape a platform they could truly own and trust.
Building With — Not For — Communities
What makes this project unique is its co-creation model. Instead of building software for communities, we build with them. Each Nation shapes the tools they need, and ColdSnake helps bring their vision to life.
We’ve supported everything from community onboarding and research to UI design, front-end development, and training, always grounded in the principles of respect, reciprocity, and relational design.
Outcome & Impact
Increased autonomy for communities to issue IDs, track lineage, and manage member data
Faster onboarding for new administrators thanks to intuitive flows
Greater data reliability compared to previous spreadsheets or paper-based systems
Adoption across multiple Nations with unique governance models
Positive community feedback about the cultural respect built into the platform
Final Thoughts
The work with One Nation Governance reflects ColdSnake’s commitment to meaningful, purpose-driven technology. We’re proud to support Indigenous data sovereignty and co-create digital tools that are as diverse and powerful as the communities that use them.