Why buying Blak is important
This time of year, as we restock classroom supplies, there is a lot of conversation about where to buy Aboriginal education resources and other items - that is items that are about Aboriginal people, represent Aboriginal people or are items based on Aboriginal culture and authentic cultural expression. This conversation has gotten greater each year as awareness of the importance of buying Blak spreads, so I really like that the conversation is happening. It is a really important conversation.
When you buy from Aboriginal businesses you are directly contributing to the economic development of an Aboriginal community. An Aboriginal business is more likely to employ Aboriginal people, providing much-needed employment and career opportunities. Unemployment rates for Aboriginal people are impacted by a whole range of social issues including by racism, stereotypes and bias which often contribute to the decision not to employ an Aboriginal person. Having a strong Aboriginal business sector ultimately means access to employment without these barriers.
Aboriginal people are more likely to shop with Aboriginal business which in turn supports greater jobs within the community as well as increasing income opportunities for Aboriginal people - important when you think about how many Aboriginal people live below the poverty line.
Aboriginal business is also more likely to ensure that Aboriginal artists and knowledge holders are correctly acknowledged and paid. Again, this supports Aboriginal economic development but it also ensures that Aboriginal people are recognised for the knowledge and specialist skills they have, and that they are fairly compensated. In the past Aboriginal people have been denied the opportunity to benefit from their own skills, instead being taken advantage of by non-Aboriginal organisations who profit from our culture and people.
Likewise Aboriginal businesses are also more likely to follow protocols around Aboriginal knowledge and stories and ensure they are observed when they are used. This is important not only to ensure that cultural knowledge is used respectfully but also to ensure you, as a consumer, are getting a quality item. I have seen men’s symbols being used on women’s items, incorrect language being used or attributed to the wrong mob and stories shared without permission. All of these things have a cultural consequence and while that may not mean a lot to a non-Aboriginal customer, they do have a big impact on our spirituality and culture (varying from mob to mob depending on relevant Lore). Buying Blak means these things happen less which helps us keep culture strong and helps community to drive truth about our culture and history.
From a customer perspective, if you have gone out of your way to buy an Aboriginal artwork, design, resource or other item, surely you want to make sure you are buying the real deal? Buying Blak means you can have more confidence in the authenticity of your new item and that you are not walking around in a t-shirt that has stolen artwork or offending content on it.
When it comes to buying Aboriginal education resources I cannot stress enough the importance of sourcing from Aboriginal people. Buying from Aboriginal sources keeps Aboriginal people in control of how their cultural knowledge is shared. The freebie that was created by a non-Aboriginal organisation, or the printable that a friend-of-a-friend made, may seem tempting especially when faced with ever-tightening budgets but the reality is if your resources are not created by Aboriginal people there is no way to be confident they are culturally safe, accurate, reflect truth or provide quality insight into First Nations culture.
On many occasions non-Aboriginal educators who are creating Aboriginal education resources have reached out for feedback on their resource and the information they include in their resource is clearly inaccurate or misleading or they cannot identify an Aboriginal source for their information. There are so many Aboriginal people working in the education space that there really is no reason to be choosing resources created by non-Aboriginal people.
Being confident that you are buying from Aboriginal providers can be tricky. Most First Nations business owners will include information about their mob on their website. Our mob is part of our identity, it is common for this to be among the first information we share about ourselves and we have no problem telling you who our mob is. Have a look around the website and if you are still unsure don’t be afraid to ask. Be respectful - a simple ‘are you an Aboriginal owned business?’ should get you the information you need. If the business doesn’t answer the question or has a problem answering, buy from someone else.
If you want more information about buying Blak I recommend you follow:
Aboriginal procurement is an important goal regardless of what you are buying. If you are looking for gifts, services, catering, a consultant for a project or education resources - there is an Aboriginal provider out there that might be just what you are looking for. I encourage you to reach out to Supply Nation and similar networks and take the time to find them.