Welcome to Country
A ceremony performed by Aboriginal people to welcome visitors to their traditional land. It can take on many forms, depending on the particular culture of the traditional owners, and can include singing, dancing, symbolic ritual or a speech in traditional language or English.
Acknowledgement of Country
This is a way for non-Aboriginal people to show awareness of and respect for the traditional Aboriginal owners of the land on which a meeting or event is being held, by recognising the continuing connection of Aboriginal people to their Country. It can be informal or formal and involves visitors acknowledging the Aboriginal people as the original/traditional owners of the land as well as the long and continuing relationship between Aboriginal people and their Country.
The City of Mandurah (the ‘City’):
- Acknowledges that the Bindjareb people are the original inhabitants and traditional owners of the land in and around Mandurah;
- Acknowledges the importance of including the local Aboriginal community in decisions relating to Welcome to Country and Acknowledgement of Country;
- Acknowledges the importance of paying respect to the traditional custodians of the land, their Elders past and present and the continuing cultural and spiritual practices of local Aboriginal people;
- Acknowledges the value of local Elders and Traditional Owners and their intellectual Cultural property;
- Will provide officers with an understanding of the importance of Welcome to and Acknowledgment of Country. The City encourages all officers to include a Welcome to Country for all major City and Civic events, or an Acknowledgement of Country at all relevant City and civic meetings and events.
