Welcome to Country is delivered by Traditional Owners, or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who have been given permission from Traditional Owners, to welcome visitors to their Country.
A Welcome to Country ceremony is performed by Aboriginal Traditional Owners for people visiting their Country. These ceremonies vary from speeches of welcome to traditional dance and smoking ceremonies.
Organising a Welcome to Country
To organise a Welcome to Country please contact NTSCORP to be put in contact with Traditional Owners for the region. Alternatively you can contact your Local Aboriginal Land Council. A list of the contacts can be found on the NSW Aboriginal Land Council's website.
A Welcome to Country is a ceremony performed by a local Aboriginal person of significance (usually an Elder) to acknowledge and give consent to events taking place on their traditional lands. It is also a sign of respect and protocol which dates back to traditional times prior to colonisation.
"(Welcome to Country and Acknowledgement of Country) is a very important way of giving Aboriginal people back their place in society … It's paying respect, in a formal sense, and following traditional custom in a symbolic way.”
It can only be done by Traditional Custodians of the land you're on. If no Traditional Custodian is available, a First Nations person from a different nation, or a non-Indigenous person, may do an Acknowledgement of Country instead.
Anyone can provide an Acknowledgement of Traditional Owners to acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land.
In simple terms it's a ceremony that is conducted when one group is seeking to enter or meet with another group. The ceremony traditionally may have lasted for many days as discussions are held about the purpose of the visit and appropriate ceremonies are performed.
When is an Acknowledgement of Traditional Owners appropriate? An Acknowledgement of Traditional Owners should be given at formal events, forums and functions such as Government and Local Government meetings, conferences, school assemblies, concerts, board meetings, and official openings.
The words are: 'I begin today by acknowledging the <insert name of people here (e.g. Ngunnawal)> people, Traditional Custodians of the land on which we <gather/meet> today, and pay my respects to their Elders past and present. I extend that respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples here today.'
Welcome to Country ceremonies, once viewed in light of the points discussed above, are not ultimately meant to entertain - even though they might provide cultural entertainment - but rather are intrinsically political acts.
The following text can be used in response to the traditional Welcome to Country: I respectfully acknowledge the past and present traditional owners of this land on which we are meeting, the <traditional name/s> people. It is a privilege to be standing on <traditional name/s> country.
An Acknowledgement of Country (or a Welcome to Country) should be done as the first official proceeding to start your Ceremony (and Reception). Of course let the bride walk down the aisle or the married couple enter their room, but after everyone is present it should be the first thing that is read out.
Welcoming ceremonies are a very special way of celebrating the birth of your child or the new arrival of an adopted child into your wider circle of family and friends.
The Smoking Ceremony is a purification ritual and is always undertaken by an Aboriginal Elder or an Aboriginal person with specialised spiritual and cultural knowledge.
Aboriginal people refer to most older people in the community as Aunty or Uncle. Even as a non-Indigenous person, you might be lucky enough to be addressed as Aunty or Uncle by a younger Indigenous person, which is a sign of their respect for you.
Present the offering: Greet the Elder, Knowledge Keeper or Cultural Advisor by shaking their hand and thanking them for meeting with you.
Anyone can and should perform an acknowledgement. Example - “I would like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we meet today, the (people) of the (nation). I would like to pay respect to elders past, present and emerging and any Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people here today.”
Smoking ceremonies are performed by Indigenous elders and community members in an event open to the non-Indigenous Australian public, as opposed to the closed ceremonies performed within a community.
The Welcome to Country is also known as a 'Traditional Welcome'. It enables Traditional Custodians to give their blessing to an event and welcome people to their land. Only a representative for the traditional clan of the location at which the function is being held can provide a Welcome to Country.
Boon wurrung (Bunurong) are a Kulin group from the east of Port Phillip Bay, Western Port, Cape Liptrap and surrounding areas. The only known Boon wurrung (Bunurong) apical ancestors with living descendents are believed to be women who were abducted by sealers in the early 18th century.
Here's a sample wording: [Organisation] operates on [Aboriginal nation] country. We acknowledge the [Aboriginal nation] people as the traditional custodians of the [Organisation location] region and pay our respects to [Aboriginal nation] elders past and present.
Family members (spouse, children, parents) Friends. Editors/people who worked on the book production.
Incorporating a daily Acknowledgement of the Country is important because it encourages children to engage with diversity and respect.