The Push strongly encourages all Freeza providers to begin events with an Acknowledgement of Traditional owners. An Acknowledgement shows respect for the continuing connection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to their country.
Please familiarise yourself with the information below and pass on to the MC of your events so that they can begin the event with an acknowledgement. You can also arrange for a Welcome to Country to be performed by a Traditional Owner group of your area. If you decide to arrange a Welcome to Country (optional) it will generally involve a payment for the Traditional Owner group carrying out the ceremony.
The Victorian Government's Acknowledgement of Traditional Owners explains the difference between an Acknowledgement and a Welcome to Country, how to perform an Acknowledgement, and how to arrange a Welcome to Country. It also lists Victorian regions where you can find traditional owner names for your specific committee location, as well as suggested contacts.
Examples of Acknowledgement of Traditional owners or country:
- “We would like to acknowledge (name of Traditional owners) as the Traditional owners of the land on which this event is held. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging, and acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders as the first people of Australia. They have never ceded sovereignty, and remain strong in their enduring connection to land and culture.”
- “We would like to acknowledge that this event takes place on (Traditional name of area) country. We pay our respects to (Traditional owner name) Elders past, present and emerging, and extend that respect to any First Nations people who are present today. We acknowledge that Aboriginal sovereignty has not been ceded.”
You can find further information on vic.gov.au.