Project Background
Aboriginal Ways of Knowing, Being and Doing have guided, nurtured and sustained our people as the longest living culture in the world. For more than 65,000 years our people have thrived; drawing strength from the land, being guided by their Ancestors as they have cared for country, culture and community and continue to do so this day.
In response to Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation’s (VACCHO) ongoing advocacy, the Victorian Department of Health through the Suicide Prevention and Response Office (SPARO), has resourced VACCHO’s Balit Durn Durn Centre to lead and coordinate the development of Aboriginal-led suicide prevention and response intiatives in Victoria and establish an Aboriginal expert advisory group. As a result, the ‘Garrka yap-u burrundyata Knowledge Holders Group’ was created. Garrka yap-u burrundyata translates to ‘holding the light in the darkness’ in Wotjabolik language.
The Garrka yap-u burrundyata Knowledge Holders Group have come together to provide their knowledge, guidance, insight, expertise and experience to develop and co-design self-determined suicide prevention response initiatives. One of these exciting initiatives is “BLKTRX”.
About BLKTRX
The name “BLKTRX” was created by our Garrka yap-u burrundyata Knowledge Holders Group. The “BLK” in BLKTRX stands for Blak, which is a is a self-determined term. It’s a way for Aboriginal people to reclaim and redefine their identity on their own terms, rather than accepting colonial or Western definitions of “Black”. By spelling it without the “c”, it separates the word from the colonial and often negative associations tied to “Black” as used historically. The “TRX” represents Aboriginal trackers that drew on thousands of years of cultural knowledge in order to locate what they are looking for. This aligns with not only the history and importance of Social and Emotional Wellbeing (SEWB) but also highlights the ability that Mob will have in locating services that will best suit them. By understanding and respecting the language choices Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities make in defining themselves, we contribute to a more inclusive and culturally responsive dialogue.
Currently BLKTRX holds a range of culturally safe and responsive social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB), mental health, and suicide prevention services in Victoria with a key focus on services within Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs) and Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs).
We know there are deadly services and supports available in Victoria for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, and BLKTRX aims to shine a light on these and make them easier to find.
BLKTRX can be accessed on desktop and mobile at any time.
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