Welcome to Country

History

Aboriginal history and relationship with land

In Aboriginal culture prior to European settlement, each clan's survival was dependent upon its understanding of food, water and other resources within its own country – a discrete area of land to which it had more or less exclusive claim. When other Aboriginal people travelled onto another tribe's land, a ceremony was performed to determine whether the travellers were peaceful and then to show that the travellers were welcome. A smoking ceremony may have been used to transfer the scent of the home tribe onto the visitors in order to indicate to others the travellers had been welcomed and to avoid animals fleeing at a strange scent.

The term Country has a particular meaning to many Aboriginal peoples, encompassing an interdependent relationship between an individual or a people and their ancestral or traditional lands and seas. The connection to land involves culture, spirituality, language, law/lore, kin relationships and identity. The Welcome to Country has been a long tradition among Aboriginal Australian groups to welcome peoples from other areas. Today it serves also as a symbol which signifies the recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' presence in Australia before colonisation and an end to their past exclusion from Australian history and society, aiding to reconciliation with Australia's First Nations.

Connection to Country means more than just the land or waters in Aboriginal culture. There is no equivalent in the English language to describe that which permeates all aspects of existence: culture, spirituality, language, law, family and identity. Aboriginal people did not own land as property in the past, but their relationship to an area of land provides a deep sense of "identity, purpose and belonging" and is a relationship of reciprocity and respect. "Country includes all living things ... It embraces the seasons, stories and creation spirits." The history of a people with an area ("country") can go back for thousands of years and the relationship with the land is nurtured and sustained by cultural knowledge and by the environment. Disconnection from the land can impact health and wellbeing. This connection is also reflected in such phrases as "caring for country" or "living on country" and related to the importance of land rights and native title. Indigenous groups have also had some of their legal rights that arise under their traditional laws and customs recognised in the form of native title, since the Mabo judgment and the passage of the Native Title Act 1993.

Evolution of the greetings

Welcomes are a form of Aboriginal ceremony used to welcome other peoples from other areas

The 1973 Aquarius Festival held in Nimbin, New South Wales, by the Australian Union of Students (AUS) has been documented as Australia's first publicly observed Welcome to Country, although it was not called this at the time. Organisers of the alternative lifestyle festival, considered Australia's "Woodstock", were challenged by Indigenous activist Gary Foley to seek permission from traditional owners to hold the festival on their land. The ceremony was conducted by Uncle Lyle Roberts and song man Uncle Dickee Donnelly.

The second recorded Welcome to Country occurred in 1976, when entertainers Richard Walley and Ernie Dingo developed a ceremony to welcome a group of Māori artists who were participating in the Perth International Arts Festival. The welcome, extended on behalf of the Noongar people, was intended to mirror the visitors' own traditions, while incorporating elements of Aboriginal culture. Walley recalled that Māori performers were uncomfortable performing their cultural act without having been acknowledged or welcomed by the people of the land. Arts administrator Rhoda Roberts, and daughter of Uncle Frank Roberts from the 1973 Aquarius Festival, coined the term Welcome to Country in the 1980s and helped develop both welcomes and acknowledgements to country by beginning each show she was involved with a Welcome.

Acknowledgements of Country are a more recent development, associated with the Keating government of the 1990s, the reconciliation movement and the creation of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation (CAR) with Yawuru man Pat Dodson as chair. After the Mabo case, in which the historical fiction of Australia being terra nullius was overturned and native title was recognised in Australia. According to Yorta Yorta and Dja Dja Wurrung man Tiriki Onus, head of the Wilin Centre for Indigenous Arts and Cultural Development at the University of Melbourne, it was after Mabo that Acknowledgement of Country grew among "grassroots communities concerned with issues of reconciliation". Wiradjuri woman Linda Burney, a member of CAR in those days, has said that there was no formal strategy to bring the Acknowledgement of Country into Australian life, but it just grew organically and became accepted as part of many types of gatherings. It was seen as a good way to engage people with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and culture and that the wider Australian community feels that its important to have a good relationship with Australia's Indigenous peoples.

Welcomes and acknowledgements have since been incorporated into openings of meetings and other events across Australia, by all levels of government, universities, community groups, arts and other organisations.

In 2008, a Welcome to Country was performed at the ceremonial opening of the Parliament of Australia and the following day Prime Minister Kevin Rudd made the Apology to Australia's Indigenous peoples. Since then it has been incorporated into the opening of parliament which occurs after each federal election. The welcome includes a speech as well as traditional music and dance. Given that parliament sits in Canberra, traditionally part of Ngambri and Ngunnawal country, a Ngambri/Ngunnawal elder officiates.

Significance

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples were largely excluded from Australian history books and from the democratic process in Australia for the first two centuries of white settlement, since the colonisation of Australia from 1788. Including recognition of Indigenous peoples in events, meetings and national symbols is seen as one part of repairing the damage caused by exclusion from settler society. Incorporating Welcome or Acknowledgement protocols into official meetings and events "recognises Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of land" and shows respect for traditional owners.

Description

Both Welcomes and Acknowledgements recognise the continuing connection of Aboriginal traditional owners to their country, and offer appropriate respect as part of the process of reconciliation and healing. As they have become more commonplace and people have become used to hearing them, efforts are being made by many to keep the words alive and make them meaningful to become core Australian customs. They may be used to inform and educate as well as being entertaining at the same time.

Welcome to Country

The Victorian Government advised that Welcomes are advised for major public events, forums and functions in locations where traditional owners have been formally recognised. A Welcome to Country can only be undertaken by an elder, formally recognised traditional owner or custodian to welcome visitors to their traditional country. The format varies; it may include a welcome speech, a traditional dance, and/or smoking ceremony.

Sydney's fireworks show has incorporated a Welcome to Country since the 2015–16 event to acknowledge the territory of Port Jackson as territory of the Cadigal, Gamaragal, and Wangal bands of the Eora people. This ceremony takes the form of a display that contains imagery, music, and pyrotechnic effects inspired by Aboriginal culture. Since New Year's Eve 2022, the concept has been expanded to encompass the entirety of the 9 p.m. "Family Fireworks" show, whose soundtrack is curated by an Aboriginal artist or musicians.

Acknowledgement of Country

If a local elder is not available, or if the traditional owners have not been formally recognised for the area, an Acknowledgement of Country, also known as Acknowledgement of Traditional Owners, performed by the host of the event, is appropriate. If there is no formal recognition of traditional ownership, it is advised to limit recognition to an Acknowledgement of Traditional Owners generally, without making a reference to the name of any specific traditional owners.

The Victorian Government's wording for recognised traditional owners:{{cquote|Our meeting/conference/workshop is being held on the lands of the [Traditional Owner's name] people and I wish to acknowledge them as Traditional Owners. I would also like to pay my respects to their Elders, past and present, and Aboriginal Elders of other communities who may be here today.

And for unknown traditional owners:{{cquote|I acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land [or country] on which we are meeting. I pay my respects to their Elders, past and present, and the Elders from other communities who may be here today.

The City of Adelaide's wording is (specifically tailored for the local Kaurna people):{{cquote|City of Adelaide acknowledges that we are meeting on the traditional country of the Kaurna people of the Adelaide Plains and pays respect to Elders past and present. We recognise and respect their cultural heritage, beliefs and relationship with the land. We acknowledge that they are of continuing importance to the Kaurna people living today. And we also extend that respect to other Aboriginal Language Groups and other First Nations.

The words "always was, always will be Aboriginal land" are sometimes included in Acknowledgement of Country, as acknowledgement that the land of Australia was never ceded.

Other countries

Similar acknowledgements, e.g. land acknowledgements, have become common at public events in Canada and have begun to be adopted by Native American groups in the United States.

Criticism

The Welcome to Country and Acknowledgement of Country have become culture wars issues and attracted criticism from conservative figures, some of whom suggest that such ceremonies are a form of tokenism and do not reflect traditional Aboriginal culture. Critics have included historian Keith Windschuttle and politicians Tony Abbott; Peter Dutton; Jacinta Price; and Pauline Hanson. Since the defeat of the 2023 Australian Indigenous Voice referendum, conservative politicians and commentators have used the Welcome to Country rituals as a focal point to oppose or scale down Indigenous Reconciliation arguing the use is "divisive" and a "waste of taxpayers' money".

Some in Aboriginal communities have also expressed issues with the rituals arguing that the repetition has caused it to lose meaning. Rhonda Roberts, who coined the phrase Welcome to Country, said about the Welcome, "is it something you just say because you're PC?" and that the ceremonies "don't have heart".

In 2023, the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Australia ruled that Acknowledgements of Country were inappropriate at church services because their wording "almost invariably carries overtones of an Indigenous spirituality inconsistent with Christian belief" and that "final ownership of land" is vested in the Creator. However other churches, such as the Uniting Church, practise an Acknowledgement to Country, "seek[ing] to be a healing community, characterised by the love of Christ".

In popular culture

The Australian band Midnight Oil released a single in August 2020 entitled "Gadigal Land", whose lyrics include a play on the traditional Welcome to Country as a critical review of Aboriginal history. Starting with the line "Welcome to Gadigal land", it goes on to mention other things brought by foreign settlers, like poison, grog, and smallpox.

References

References

1. Flood, Josephine. (2006). "The original Australians: story of the Aboriginal people". Allen and Unwin.
2. Chrysanthos, Natassia. (2025-02-15). "Feeling unwelcome: Why debate is mounting over an ancient ceremony".
3. (21 January 2020). "The importance of land".
4. "Our Country".
5. (22 July 2020). "Connection to Country".
6. Ganesharajah, Cynthia. (April 2009). "Indigenous Health and Wellbeing: The Importance of Country". [[AIATSIS]]. Native Title Research Unit.
7. Bolger, Rosemary. (12 November 2020). "How Welcome to Country rituals are changing to make all Australians take note".
8. Scantlebury, Alethea. (2014-10-13). "Black Fellas and Rainbow Fellas: Convergence of Cultures at the Aquarius Arts and Lifestyle Festival, Nimbin, 1973". M/C Journal.
9. Gilmore, Heath. (2023-05-12). "How a 50-year-old hippie festival sparked the Welcome to Country phenomenon".
10. Westwood, Matthew. (15 February 2016). "Perth International Arts Festival gives welcome to west country". [[The Australian]].
11. Penberthy, Natsumi. (3 March 2016). "40 years of the 'modern' Welcome to Country".
12. Taylor, Andrew. (15 October 2012). "Welcome to country ceremony 'lacks heart'". [[The Sydney Morning Herald]].
13. Watson, Joey. (18 March 2020). "How the Acknowledgment of Country became a core national custom – and why it matters". [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]].
14. (28 March 2019). "Welcome to Country". Government of South Australia.
15. (16 October 2020 }} licence. (Shown [https://www.aboriginalvictoria.vic.gov.au/copyright here] {{Webarchive). "Welcome to Country". Victoria Government.
16. (29 April 2020). "Welcome and Acknowledgement of Country".
17. "Welcome to Country".
18. (12 February 2008). "A historic first: traditional Indigenous welcome begins Parliament". Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
19. (25 April 2022). "The Opening of Parliament".
20. "Welcome and Acknowledgement of Country".
21. (16 October 2020 }} licence. (Shown [https://www.aboriginalvictoria.vic.gov.au/copyright here] {{Webarchive). "Welcome to Country and Acknowledgement of Traditional Owners".
22. Watson, Joey. (18 March 2020). "How the Acknowledgment of Country became a core national custom — and why it matters".
23. "Happy New Year! First Nations honoured with Welcome to Country".
24. Dumas, Daisy. (2015-12-31). "Sydney New Year's Eve 2015: Welcome to Country ceremony to be seen around the world".
25. (2016-01-01). "Partygoers praised after peaceful NYE celebrations".
26. Gorrey, Megan. (2021-12-09). "Harbour city to shine beneath New Year's Eve fireworks".
27. (2022-12-30). "Here is where you attend New Year's Eve celebrations in Australia's capital cities". ABC News.
28. (2022-11-30). "The stage is set for the best New Year's Eve ever".
29. (16 October 2020 }} licence. (Shown [https://www.aboriginalvictoria.vic.gov.au/copyright here] {{Webarchive). "Acknowledgement of Traditional Owners".
30. (24 January 2023). "Acknowledgement of Country".
31. (22 December 2022). "Acknowledgement of Country".
32. (15 July 2017). "What is the significance of acknowledging the Indigenous land we stand on?". [[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]].
33. (7 September 2017). "Canada's Impossible Acknowledgement".
34. (15 October 2015). "We Begin with Acknowledgement". Friends Committee on National Legislation.
35. Windschuttle, Keith. (1 December 2012). "Welcomes to country are being foisted on us in error". [[The Australian]].
36. Taylor, Andrew. (2012-10-14). "Welcome to country ceremony 'lacks heart'". [[The Sydney Morning Herald]].
37. Hevesi, Bryant. (11 August 2023). "Peter Dutton reveals his stance on Welcome to Country after Tony Abbott said he was 'getting a little bit sick' of the ceremonies". [[Sky News Australia]].
38. (2022-07-29). "Why senator sympathises with Pauline".
39. (27 July 2022). "'Ignorant and racist': Pauline Hanson slammed for walking out on Acknowledgement of Country".
40. Chrysanthos, Natassia. (15 February 2025). "Feeling unwelcome: Why debate is mounting over an ancient ceremony".
41. (16 September 2023). "Presbyterian Church of Australia rules Indigenous Acknowledgement of Country 'not appropriate' for service". [[news.com.au]].
42. "Acknowledgement of Country in the UCA – Uniting Church Australia".
43. Hocking, Rachael. (7 August 2020). "The story behind the Gadigal poetry on Midnight Oil's latest track".