Traditional Cultural Practices

Traditional Cultural Practices (TCP) is an Elders led NGO dedicated to ensuring that traditional Cultural practices and knowledge from the World’s oldest living Culture is protected and lives on.

We work alongside Elders to fulfill their responsibilities to Community and Country as strong leaders and educators of their people. And we stand by our Elders to share and record their irreplaceable knowledge of Culture & lore with their Communities.

Traditional Cultural Practices (TCP) the organisation came about as a result of producing the ‘Elders Report into Preventing Indigenous Self Harm and Youth Suicide’. During the making of The Report, two key questions were asked to Elders and Community leaders from Cape York to the Kimberley – ‘Why is suicide and self harm happening?’ And, ‘What can be done to end this?’ Unanimously reconnecting young people to their Elders, Culture and traditional lands was the overwhelming response.

Our work is based on this reconnection.

Our work

Our work is on Country supporting Elders to share their lore and Culture with their Communities.

We do this in the following ways:

Knowing Culture

TCP supports Elders and Communities to be on their own lands. Participating in Elder led mentoring programs and Cultural practices that empower and heal both people and country.

Caring for Country

As the Traditional Custodians of Australia First Nation people have respect, knowledge and responsibility for the land and waters, it is an integral part of who we are. Through supporting our Elders maintain and teach Culture we are also supporting the healing, maintenance and proper connection to this land.

Cultural Schools

TCP has now launched the first Cultural schools in Australia, where people from all walks of life can learn Culture and connectedness to the land and waters. Elders are the teachers and their Community members assist, this creates an independent income stream to the Community, builds Cultural pride and reinforces knowledge sharing directly from Elders to their Community members.

Social Responsibility

Creating partnerships that are inclusive where First Nation People and the broader Community work together closing the gap one project at a time. An example of this can be seen on the video clip titled Connectedness.

Digital Storytelling

Combining Culture and technology to record for Communities the rich diversity of Cultural practices on traditional lands. And through this the development of Community owned archives for private access and education now and into the future.

Our Ask

In order to continue and accelerate our work, we need your help. We want you to join us to become part of our growing CultureUp! Community and to help to spread the knowledge of our work. As a member of CultureUp, you can support us by sharing our mission and stories, and by giving. Securing funding is an essential part of helping us continue our work. Learn more about how you can get involved here.