The First Peoples occupied the traditional lands of Victoria prior to European settlement for over 60,000 years. The impacts of colonisation destroyed cultural knowledge, sacred sites, and decimated language groups. Through learning from Indigenous peoples and acknowledging Australia’s history we can build new, positive relationships that incorporate the unique cultural protocols and respectfully help support First Peoples’ to revive cultural practices

Understanding Welcome to Country and Acknowledgement of Country

A Welcome to Country or an Acknowledgement of Country recognises the continuing connection of Aboriginal Traditional Owners and Custodians to their Country. Aboriginal history and culture are composed of complex ownership and land stewardship systems stretching back many thousands of years.

Welcomes to Country can only be delivered by the traditional owners of the land you are on. If you are hosting a major event, it is highly recommended to engage and pay through the Recognised Aboriginal Party for this service. A list of Formally Recognised Traditional Owner corporations can be found online at Aboriginal Victoria.

Any individual can conduct an Acknowledgement of Country. It is usually done at the beginning of a gathering or meeting. It is a sign of respect and commitment to awareness and support of Aboriginal peoples’ continuous connection to country.

Face to Face Example

'Our meeting/tour/workshop is being held on the lands of the [Traditional Owner's name] people and I wish to acknowledge them as Traditional Owners.

I would also like to pay my respects to their Elders, past and present, and Aboriginal Elders of other communities who may be here today.'

Virtual Example

‘I acknowledge that I am hosting this webinar/meeting from the [Traditional Owner’s name] country and extend that acknowledgement to the traditional custodians of the various lands that you are joining from.

I pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging and celebrate the diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their ongoing cultures and connections to the lands and waters.’

Website / Email Example

We acknowledge the First Peoples throughout Victoria and their ongoing connection to the land and waters. We pay our respects to their culture, knowledge and Elders past and present.

If you are hosting a celebration for Torres Strait Islander peoples, ensure that the relevant religious persons are available for a blessing. For example, a pastor or nominated person to bless the food.

Storytelling

Non-Indigenous people must seek permission to share cultural stories. These stories are referred to as Cultural and Intellectual Property. This refers to their rights that Indigenous people have, and want to have, to protect their traditional arts and culture.

If you are seeking to share a story as part of any content, engage and pay Aboriginal people to develop and deliver this. There are certain aspects to Aboriginal culture that cannot be shared outside of traditional groups, and we should be mindful of this as we conduct business.

Imagery Permission

When seeking permission to take and use imagery, ensure that your talent is clear of how and when the image will be used. If you are using talent release forms, including an option for the image to be removed upon request during Sorry Business.

Sorry Business is a period of mourning when an Aboriginal person passes away. There is no set time for Sorry Business. For some Indigenous groups, it is common practice to ensure that no images of the person are shared. It can also be required to remove their name and it not be spoken or posted online.

It is good practice to warn Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples that your website/content may contain images of deceased people. An example is provided below.

WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are warned that the following website/program may contain images of deceased persons.

Consultation Period

Extensive consultation is a critical part of Indigenous decision making. Any decision must go through a board/stakeholder group to ensure all parties are prepared to make an informed decision. This period could take time due to the availability of certain members, meeting time and the strategic process of elders within the group. This consultation period should be incorporated into your planning. If you are made aware of Sorry Business during this time, this may delay consultation further and you should wait for notification for business to be allowed to recommence.

When working with Indigenous business, it may be beneficial to have an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander representative from your organisation to support the conversation. This can help ensure open dialogue, cultural integrity and provide both parties with the tools and resources to reach a beneficial outcome.

Indigenous Art

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art is designed to tell a specific story using elements of cultural design and placement. If you are looking to incorporate Indigenous elements into your logo design and/or any printed or online media, you must contract an Indigenous artist. If a piece is designed for a project, ensure that you discuss with the artist what elements of the artwork can be pulled apart and used in various places e.g. webpage background, logo design.

If you are seeking an artist to tell a specific story of a place, it is common practice to find an artist that is a traditional owner from the area. E.g., To tell the story of Melbourne, find an artist with Wurundjeri heritage.

Procurement

With the growth of Indigenous business over the last 5 years, there are opportunities to increase procurement with Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander business. We can look outside the traditional cultural business and seek businesses such as photographers, caterers, printing agencies and transport services. Supply Nation provides Australia’s leading database of verified Indigenous businesses and allows you to search for various industries and locations. Kinaway, Chamber of Commerce, also hosts a business database.

Cultural Awareness Training

A great step for any organisation starting in the Indigenous Affairs space is to provide your staff with Cultural Awareness sessions. Aboriginal training organisations can provide an introduction to Aboriginal Victoria’s history and provide useful tools and knowledge to respectful engage and work along aside communities and businesses.

Commitment

A commitment to organisational change to engage and support Indigenous Australians can come in many forms. This could include an Indigenous Procurement Policy to increase your organisation’s spend and stimulate economic development. Another option is a Reconciliation Action Plan which is a strategic document that includes a framework and set of activities incorporating education and relationship building.

Resources

Aboriginal Victoria

Formally Recognised Traditional Owners

Supply Nation

Kinaway - Chamber of Commerce