How to write an Acknowledgement of Country and present it authentically

In this podcast episode, Rhys Paddick, an Aboriginal educator from Wuddjuk Noongar Country, explains the history and purpose of the Acknowledgement of Country.

On the difference between a Welcome to Country and an Acknowledgement of Country:

“So the analogy that I give here is: Imagine if I was to go to your house, only you can welcome me into your house. I can’t welcome myself into your house and you have your own sort of traditional protocol on how you invite me in. So, you know, your protocol might be to open the door, give me a hug, you might offer me a beer. An Acknowledgement of Country, that’s me entering your space and simply saying ‘Thanks for inviting me over, man! You have a really nice house here.’”

When we understand what an Acknowledgement of Country is, we can go beyond treating it as a ‘box ticking’ exercise. Paddick goes on to discuss how you might craft your own and make it authentic.

If you’d like to go deeper, we also recommend his 2-hour workshop (see [Humanitix] for ticket info and dates).