Acknowledgement of Country

An Acknowledgement of Country is a statement that shows awareness of and respect for Traditional Custodians of the land you’re on and their long and continuing relationship with the land. Unlike a Welcome to Country, it can be delivered by a First Nations person or non-Indigenous person.

Acknowledgements of Country can take place at the beginning of events. They can also be printed in publications and websites, and on signs; for example, near the entrance of your site.

Referenced from Australians Together.

There are three types of Acknowledgement of Country:

Generic

This should be used if you don’t know the name of the people on whose land you are gathered, or if there are disputes about the land (multiple Aboriginal peoples identify as Traditional Custodians for that area).

The words are:

'I begin today by acknowledging the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we <gather/meet> today, and pay my respects to their Elders past and present. I extend that respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples here today.'

Specific

This should be used where there are no disputes and you know the name of the people on whose land you are gathered.

The words are:

'I begin today by acknowledging the <insert name of people here (e.g. Ngunnawal)> people, Traditional Custodians of the land on which we <gather/meet> today, and pay my respects to their Elders past and present. I extend that respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples here today.'

General (Ausatrlia wide – webinar / website / printed material)

The words are:

'In the spirit of reconciliation the [organisation] acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.'

You may also like to contact your local land council or one of our Regional Network offices for more advice about acknowledging Traditional Owners in your area.

Referenced - Indigenous.gov.au

Deliver an Acknowledgement of Country that really means something

In this powerful talk, Shelley Reys AO explains how to simply and meaningfully give your own Acknowledgement of Country and ensure this important cultural practice continues to be a powerful moment to honour and connect with First Nations culture and country Shelley Reys AO is a Djiribul woman of far north Queensland, Australia, and a respected Indigenous specialist, strategist and service provider. Shelley has been a leader in the reconciliation space for 30 years and as CEO of Arrilla Indigenous Consulting, has been helping the Australian workforce to work in the Indigenous space with greater skill and confidence. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.