Blak Markets

First Hand Solutions Aboriginal Corporation launched its new social enterprise in 2013 featuring creative and interactive workshops by recognised Aboriginal teachers in spear making, shell work and weaving as well as Catch N Cook cultural tours.

First Hand is a new social enterprise offering an authentic Aboriginal tourism experience to the Sydney market while supporting the traditional inter-generational passing down of knowledge by elders to young people in Aboriginal communities.

The success of the First Hand Aboriginal craft Workshops will be built on in 2014 with a regular program of including Black Markets which will be officially launched on the historic Bare Island, La Perouse on March 2, 2014.

The market day will become a regular feature on the calendar, running the first Sunday of every month starting from March 2014.

First Hand social enterprise has been developed by First Hand Solutions as an innovative way to deal with some very real issues in Indigenous communities. "With the passing of elders, Aboriginal culture is vanishing at an alarming rate,” Peter Cooley, Director of First Hand Solutions said. “Knowledge, skills and experience accumulated over thousands of years is disappearing due to a breakdown in communication between generations. Aboriginal youth in turn, are becoming dispossessed from their cultural identity and confused about their position in society, leading to an array of social problems including one of the highest rates of suicide in the world for Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander youth - who are also 19 times more likely to be detained in a juvenile facility.”

"This enterprise will not only reinvigorate the Aboriginal experience of a visit to La Perouse, but also the transfer of knowledge between the generations, using tourism as the tool," Peter said.

First Hand Solutions Aboriginal Corporation is a registered charity supporting hands-on solutions to issues faced by Aboriginal peoples.

Through the First Hand event they are aiming to generate funds which can go back into their “Back to the Bush” and "Seeds to Success" programs which deal directly with the issue of cultural reconnection, Leadership and public speaking for Aboriginal youth.