Acknowledgment of Country

An Acknowledgement of Traditional Owners can be done by anyone and is an important way of showing awareness of, and respect for, the Aboriginal Traditional Owners of the land on which a meeting or event is being held.  It also helps to build cultural safety for all First Nations people.

You can use pre-written wording (like ours) or add your own personal reflections to your Acknowledgement.

Why acknowledging country is important - Reconciliation website

Traditional Owners are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples with deep cultural, spiritual, and ancestral connections to a particular area through family ties, traditional knowledge, customs, beliefs, and responsibilities.

As recognised under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006, Traditional Owners are the primary guardians, keepers, and knowledge holders of Aboriginal Cultural Heritage.

The Traditional Owners of the lands on which Hume now stands, and the Registered Aboriginal Party for Hume City, is the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation (link), which provides a range of cultural, heritage, educational, and advisory services that support the protection and promotion of Wurundjeri culture and knowledge.

Welcome to Countries should only be delivered by the Registered Aboriginal Party for the country you are on – so for Hume, that means we always work with Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have cared for and maintained a connection to Country for thousands of generations. Welcome to Country and Acknowledgement of Country are both important ways of recognising and respecting this ongoing connection.

A Welcome to Country can only be given by a Traditional Owner of the land where an event is being held. It is a cultural protocol that stems from long-held traditions where Owners gave permission for others to enter their lands and means you should respect protocols and rules of the Traditional Owners while on their Country. 

Of course nowadays, Welcome to Country occurs at the beginning of a formal events and offers a beautiful chance to reflect on our common beliefs, while acknowledging the Traditional Owners' enduring connection to the land.

When permission was granted the hosting group would welcome the visitors, offering them safe passage and protection of their spiritual being during the journey. Visitors had to respect the protocols and rules of the Traditional Owner group while on their Country. 

An Acknowledgement of Country can be delivered by anyone. It is a simple way to show respect to Traditional Owners, Elders past and present, and the Country on which we live, work, and gather.

These practices help us recognise the history and culture of First Nations peoples and contribute to building respect, understanding, and stronger relationships within our community.

A Welcome to Country is a meaningful addition to community events, ceremonies, and gatherings. For events held on Wurundjeri Country, bookings can be made through the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation.

Request a Welcome to Country

To help support planning and availability, we encourage organisers to submit their requests well in advance of their event date.