When was the last time you bought something from an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander business? Was it a conscious decision, one based in ally-ship, or something you later learned about? Or was it simply purchasing something beautiful that represents Australia’s First Nations enduring culture and heritage? 

Buying Blak is increasingly a conscious and powerful choice, and the impact of your decision has a far greater remit that you might think. By choosing to purchase from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses, you can contribute to empowering Indigenous communities, preserving cultural heritage, and promoting economic growth, employment and long-term wealth generation for First Nations mob.

Not only that, but the great majority of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations play this forward, investing time, resources and investment back into the communities they are a part of – including health and welfare resources and community development initiatives – which has an impact both locally and within Australian society more broadly. First Nations businesses are more likely to employ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, furthering economic development in our communities as well as contributing to skill building and capacity. In short, First Nations businesses play a vital role in fostering self-reliance and resilience within Indigenous communities, improving and uplifting the quality of life for future generations. Supporting them is a deadly thing to do! 

And if that’s not enough of a reason to have you seeking out good and services from Blak business, here are a few more. 

• Blak businesses who incorporate traditional art, patterns and symbolism into their designs, create avenues for the expression and celebration of cultural identity, as well as helping to protect and maintain the artistic integrity and heritage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture. This encourages the continuation of traditional artistic practices, the sharing of ancestral knowledge, and the fostering of intergenerational cultural exchange. 

• By choosing to buy Blak, you can help combat cultural appropriation and misrepresentation in the marketplace. Your choice to buy authentic First Nations goods reinforces the fight against the exploitation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander tradition, heritage and symbology by non-Indigenous businesses, and shows respect and recognition, both of which are an integral part of the journey towards reconciliation. 

• Buying Blak will contribute to a more inclusive and equitable market in Australia, one that reflects all elements of our cultural heritage. This, in turn, nurtures innovation, creativity, and collaboration, and fosters a sense of unity and shared prosperity among all Australians.

• Choosing First Nations good and services supports self-determination and keeping Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in control of their cultures, communities and cultural knowledge. 

Purchasing is important in supporting First Nations business but it is not the only way to support. There are lots of other activities that support a thriving Blak economy and all the goodness it brings. 

1. Like, follow and share brands on social media and beyond – if you have found some deadly businesses, share your experience with your networks so that other people can discover the brand too. Share social media posts, make recommendations when people are asking for where to buy and pass on EDMs to people who might be interested. 

2. Give a testimonial – if you love the service or products you have received, let the business know and give them permission to share your feedback. Sometime people just need a nudge of reassurance that they are buying quality. 

3. Wear your purchases loud and proud! This is an integral part of supporting and preserving cultural pride. Your tee, hat, earrings etc is symbolic (as well as damn cool), and its impact is broad-reaching. It showcases a brand as well as the culture it represents. 

4. Talk to your workplace about its approach to Indigenous Procurement and encourage the inclusion of Blak providers. There are high quality offerings for almost everything the modern workplace needs - office supplies, catering, pest control, tag and testing, training and education, office furniture, corporate gifts, design, tech support, uniforms, printing and the list goes on. 

5. Help share education around the importance of buying Blak. Follow organisations like Supply Nation, Trading Blak and Indigenous Business Month for more information and learn how you can be involved.