Reconciliation

Information on Welcome and Acknowledgement of Country

Welcome to Country

It is stated that we are the oldest surviving cultural race in the world. Ancient Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural tradition of Welcome to Country requires a permission to enter another group’s traditional land. For tens of thousands of years, crossing into another community's traditional lands required a formal request to the local Traditional Owners. 

Once permission was granted, the hosting group would offer a welcome and ensure safe passage and protection for visitors on their Country. This formal procedure also involved speaking to the ancestors and spirits, ensuring their permission plus their spiritual connection with the land. 

This modern practice adapts the ancient protocols to contemporary circumstances, with Traditional Custodians giving permission to events taking place on their land. It serves to highlight the enduring cultural significance of the surrounding area and to acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land as the original inhabitants. 

The ritual or recognized formal procedure of performing a Welcome to Country as a land acknowledgement at many events held in Australia highlights a cultural significance of the local traditional custodians. When a recognised traditional custodian is not available to perform a Welcome to Country, an Acknowledgement of Country is best to be performed. 

Using the terminology ‘Country or Nation’ does have a meaning and significance to many Aboriginal peoples and encompasses a relationship between an individual or a people and their ancestral or traditional lands and seas.

Welcome to Country serves as a symbol that 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.

Since 2008, a Welcome to Country has been incorporated into the ceremonial opening of the Parliament of Australia, after each federal election.

Breaking the Cultural Protocol of Welcome to Country would be considered as breaking lore/law.

The traditional custodians are able to do the ancient Welcome to Country and can be done by either:

• Speeches in traditional language or English

• Singing

• Dancing

• Smoking Ceremonies

  A smoking ceremony is an ancient Aboriginal Australian custom that involves burning native plants to create smoke for cleansing and purification purposes, warding off bad spirits, and promoting well-being and a brighter future. Performed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, the smoke is used to cleanse people and places and can also form part of a traditional welcome (Welcome to Country). Guests may walk through the smoke to receive the cleansing, with the specific plants and protocols varying by region and the traditional owners of the land.

Acknowledgement of Country

Performing an Acknowledgement of Country is showing respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the land you are on. Recognition of the traditional custodians is about their ongoing cultural connection and custodianship of the trees, land, rivers, lakes, the sky, and their community. It can be performed by anyone … meaning an Aboriginal, a Torres Strait Islander or a non-Indigenous person.

Doing Acknowledgement of Country is important for reconciliation to promote awareness and understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and heritage.

It is best to specify the Traditional Custodians of the land of which you are meeting on and to acknowledge Elders past and present.

Example 1:

Before I begin the proceedings, I would like to acknowledge that we are meeting on the traditional country of the [Aboriginal group/clan] people. I extend my respect to Elders past and present and I recognise and respect their cultural heritage, beliefs, and relationship with the trees, land, rivers, lakes, the sky, and their community.

Example 2:

I wish to acknowledge the custodians of this land, the [Aboriginal group/clan] people and their Elders past and present. I acknowledge and respect their continuing culture and the contribution they make to the life of this city and this region.

Example 3:
I would like to acknowledge that we are meeting on the traditional custodians of this land, and their Elders past and present. I acknowledge and respect their continuing culture and the contribution they make to the life of this city and this region.

Brisbane is Yagara Country

When there is a Welcome to Country or Acknowledgement to Country, that is what you are doing, you are acknowledging the country, not a Mob. So here is the layout of Yagara Country.

Yagara country goes as far north as Pine Rivers where we meet with Kabi Kabi people, as far east where we meet with Quandamooka people, as far south as this side of Logan River and as far west to the bottom of the Toowoomba mountain range. Yagara seems to cover a big area but compared to other Aboriginal countries, we are small in size.

So, the Yagara (Yuggera, Yugara) people are the traditional custodians of Brisbane. It is not Jagera with a ‘J’ … this is how the Germans had written our name. You start with a ‘J’ when pronouncing ‘Y’ for Yagara.

Also, the traditional name for Brisbane is Magandjin not Meeanjin. Gaja Kerry Charlton has been going over the records of Brisbane’s past for years, and she has found that Brisbane was called Magandjin.

Magandjin is the traditional name for the plant, Tulip Wood Tree as it covered the landscape of Brisbane. You can still see some of the Magandjin trees on the Brisbane City footpaths.