Truth Justice and Healing (TJH) Project

We believe truth is the foremost critical component of enabling meaningful social change and self-determination for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. We understand Australia is ‘stuck’ and cannot move forward without addressing the fundamental basis on which the nation was built. Therefore, Ebony’s first project is the Truth Justice and Healing (TJH) Project.

The TJH Project aimed to answer the following key question: What are the strengths and weaknesses of truth telling initiatives overseas and in Australia? We researched and published a world-first Indigenous led analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of truth, justice and healing initiatives globally (‘Hear My Heart’ Discussion Paper), and further translated that evidence into a national framework and toolkit for our Mobs to use (National TJH Framework) in partnership with Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research.

Ebony believes Australia is facing an uncertain and unpredictable future. With increasingly complex issues from population health and pandemics, to climate change and wide-scale environmental degradation, to challenging democracy and federation, to systemic racial inequalities, increasing terrorism, and rising geo-political tensions, many of us, Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people included, are experiencing anxiety and concern for the future and for the generations to come.

Ebony developed an Aboriginalised version of Transformational Scenario Planning called Koomargi Ghadaba, to help our communities solve complex problems with more effective thinking and dialogue.

Ebony Institute would like to acknowledge, honour and thank Dr N’arweet Carolyn Briggs, Senior Elder of the Boonwurrung Foundation, for her cultural guidance, direction and support in the development of this work. We are particularly indebted for her permission for us to use the Boonwurrung term ‘Koomargii Gadhaba’, and its deep cultural meaning of rising up together.