Following the recent controversy about Welcome to Country and Anzac Day, Reconciliation Australia (RA) put out a media release which condemned the disruptions and explained the nature and process of Welcome to Country. 'Disrespectful actions such as those seen at Anzac Day Dawn Services and other recent events', the media release said, 'show the gaps in understanding and education about the true history of our country, and also show Welcome to Country ceremonies are needed now more than ever'.
Brief explanatory material on the RA website is here and includes items on Welcome to Country, Acknowledgement of Country, Why Acknowledging Country is important, Acknowledging Country online and at home, and The distinction between 'country' and 'Country'. Key points:
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.
Traditional owners are not welcoming people to Australia, they are welcoming to the land within their cultural boundaries which their ancestors have cared for, and lived on, for millennia.
An Acknowledgement of Country [on the other hand] can be offered by any person and like a Welcome to Country, is given at the beginning of a meeting, speech or event.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have experienced a long history of exclusion from Australian history books, the Australian flag, the Australian anthem and for many years, Australian democracy.
This history of dispossession and colonisation lies at the heart of the disparity between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and other Australians today.
Including recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in events, meetings and national symbols contributes to ending the exclusion that has been so damaging.
When we talk about traditional ‘Country’…we mean something beyond the dictionary definition of the word. …we might mean homeland, or tribal or clan area and we might mean more than just a place on the map. For us, Country is a word for all the values, places, resources, stories and cultural obligations associated with that area and its features. It describes the entirety of our ancestral domains. While they may all no longer necessarily be the title-holders to land, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians are still connected to the Country of their ancestors and most consider themselves the custodians or caretakers of their land. (Professor Mick Dodson)
Reconciliation Australia is an independent not-for profit organisation, the lead body for reconciliation in Australia. It promotes and facilitate reconciliation by building relationships, respect and trust between the wider Australian community and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Picture credit: one of the many downloadable resources available here on the Reconciliation Australia website. It refers to National Reconciliation Week commencing 27 May.
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