What is Acknowledgement of Country?
Respect and acknowledgement are common conventions in Australian public life. As a sign of respect to the traditional owners of this land, more and more speakers at public events are opening their addresses with an ‘Acknowledgement of Country’. An ‘Acknowledgement of Country’ simply recognises the particular Aboriginal country on which a meeting takes place and shows consideration to the traditional owners or custodians of that country. An Acknowledgement of Country can be offered by anyone to show respect for a specific place and its caretakers. A ‘Welcome to Country’ can take the form of a speech or a dance but can only be performed by an Aboriginal Elder of that country. More often given at major events and meetings, the greeting welcomes people to visit and meet on the traditional area. If an Elder or appropriate member of the Aboriginal community is not available to give a ‘Welcome to Country’, it is appropriate to offer ‘Acknowledgement’ instead. This practice has its roots in lo
