Traditionally, Welcome to Country may take several hours or days and involve a range of ceremonies. Today, while these protocols have been adapted to contemporary circumstances, the traditional practice of welcoming visitors to country and offering safe passage remains in place.
A Welcome to Country with a Smoking Ceremony can take between 5-20 minutes, depending on how many guests are in attendance.
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.
Welcome to Country occurs at the beginning of a formal event and can take many forms including singing, dancing, smoking ceremonies, and/or a speech.
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.
It is not mandated. It is fine if one speaker would like to do an Acknowledgement, especially if the meeting is a major one and people from outside the institution are being welcomed to the institution. In such cases being mindful of the Indigenous history is especially important. But one acknowledgment is sufficient.
As a minimum, appropriate wording for responding to a Welcome to Country would include: “I acknowledge the *___________________people, the Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander** Owners of the land where we gather today and pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging.
Response to Welcome to Country
If an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person from a different region is speaking, he or she may wish to acknowledge the Traditional Custodians and deliver a welcome from his/her own country. It is not necessary for every speaker to provide a response or acknowledge country.
The ongoing custodians of the land, usually senior representatives of the local Aboriginal community - recognised Elders - should undertake the Welcome to Country ceremony.
No – Welcome to Country is a not for profit company limited by guarantee. We receive private support from individuals who are passionate about achieving outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
Spoken, Aboriginal nation known
I acknowledge that we are meeting on the traditional country of the [Aboriginal nation] people of the [Aboriginal region] and pay respect to Elders past and present.
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.
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.
At the expected time of arrival, have someone at the front door of the building greet the Elder and their travelling companion. Do not assume that they will shake hands. As you are introducing yourself wait to see if they offer their hand.
Canberra is the host city for the Encounters exhibition. It is also country that has been home to Ngunnawal, Ngunawal and Ngambri peoples for more than 20,000 years. Some of their stone tools from Canberra's Mount Ainslie are now in the collection of the British Museum.
It is necessary for the speaker who follows immediately after the Welcome to Country ceremony to provide a response. Part of the response should acknowledge the person who delivered the Welcome to Country. If the custodians of the land are not the traditional owners, it may be necessary to acknowledge both groups.
Tansi or Dansi – Hello, how are you? Aaniin? Hello, how are you? Aba wathtech do ken yau – Hello, how are you?
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.
'There are no set protocols or wording for an Acknowledgement of Country, though often a statement may take the following forms. ' General: I'd like to begin by acknowledging the Traditional Owners of the land on which we meet today. I would also like to pay my respects to Elders past and present.
Many welcome packages contain a combination of items. For example, a welcome package might include company-branded items, an employee handbook and a small gift. It depends on how much the company wants to spend and what they feel the employee needs right away to feel appreciated and start their job.
Acknowledgement of Country
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.”
Having a Welcome to Country and Acknowledgement of Country as a standard practice in events recognises the place of Indigenous people as the first custodians of this land, promotes awareness of the history and culture of Indigenous people and formally acknowledges Indigenous people's ongoing connection to the land.
Here is some suggested wording: “Before we begin, (Name) and (Name) have asked me to to acknowledge that this wedding is being held on the traditional lands of the (appropriate group) people of the (name of Aboriginal nation) nation, and they would like to pay their respect to Elders both past, present and future.”