Recordings of previous events
Missed one of our Reconciliation Action plan events? Catch up on demand.
Video – You can't say that
Transcript of Author’s talk with Jasmine Seymour video.
Video – Acknowledgement of Country and Welcome to Country: confidence with the basics
Transcript of Acknowledgement of Country and Welcome to Country: confidence with the basics video.
Other questions
In this recorded session, we didn’t get to all of the thought-provoking questions asked in the chat – so we’ve provided some responses below:
Without asking, because as a non-Indigenous person I wouldn't feel right asking, how do we know when is/isn't it right to use the term Aunty and Uncle for Elders?
Aboriginal people traditionally refer to an Elder as 'Aunty' or 'Uncle'. However, it is recommended that non-Aboriginal people check the appropriateness of their use of these terms – so even though you might feel a bit odd or uncomfortable it is appropriate to ask.
An Aboriginal Elder may also invite people to call the Aunty or Uncle.
Should an Acknowledgement of Country include emerging Elders?
There are differing views on this. Some people (including some Aboriginal members of our RAP team) see it as appropriate, while others have concerns that it undermines the traditional status and authority of Elders.
You can also acknowledge the contributions of all Aboriginal people including young people.
If my organisation wants to have a RAP, what is the best process?
Reconciliation Australia are the lead body for reconciliation in Australia and can help you to develop an official Reconciliation Action Plan.
How often should you do an Acknowledgement of Country for a meeting/gathering. Is it only at the beginning or should it be each speaker?
There are no firm rules but particularly for large or formal meetings it can be appropriate for each speaker to acknowledge Country.
I've heard some people say that doing an Acknowledgement too many times means it can become tokenistic. What can I do so that it’s not?
We will be providing a further webinar that talks more about this. But in essence, it’s important to be genuine in the way you speak – to think about the words you are saying and their meaning and hopefully that sincerity will be heard by your audience.
Once you feel comfortable with the ‘basic’ phrasing it might be time to branch out a little – educate yourself about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories cultures and achievements (our Resources are a good place to start) and you could talk about what you have learned and/or link what you say to the topic of your meeting. Just remember to be diligent in making sure what you say is both correct and appropriate.
Remember as well that an Acknowledgement shouldn’t be used in place of a Welcome for large or significant events.
