Attached are two Welcome to Country cards: one for use on
Arrernte land, and one for use on other Aboriginal peoples' land. The card enforces a
protocol for acknowledging the traditional owners of specific
Aboriginal country that has been adopted by the Desert Knowledge
CRC Board.
The Desert Knowledge CRC policy is to invite a local Aboriginal
elder or Traditional Owner to offer a Welcome to Country for all
events sponsored or hosted by the Desert Knowledge CRC.
Within the Desert Knowledge CRC, the Statement of
Acknowledgement of Arrernte Land is to be used in the following
manner:
- On meeting agendas and read out at the commencement of such
meetings
- Used by employees when opening meetings involving external
stakeholders
- At significant civic events or forums where it has not been
possible to organise an elder or traditional owner.
The acknowledgement and repeated use of a Welcome to Country
helps to inform people and show a commitment in our endeavour to
embrace the concepts behind Aboriginal engagement. The Statement of
Acknowledgement is an advisory or suggested set of words.
One’s own words can be used to acknowledge Arrernte Country
or any other Language Group depending on the particular area, as
long as the essential meaning (honouring traditional
custodianship) comes across in the acknowledgment.