Delivering a meaningful acknowledgement of country in the corporate world.

An Acknowledgement of Country is something many organisations in Australia are committed to doing before meetings and events begin as a mark of respect to the Traditional Custodians of the land their meeting/event is on. 

I’ve rarely seen one delivered in the corporate world in a way that moved me and honoured the sentiment or intention of an Acknowledgement.

Mostly they tend to feel like a tick-box exercise or an inconvenience, and often when delivered this way, more than a little uncomfortable for the audience.

Sharing an Acknowledgement for the first time can feel nerve wracking. It was for me.

It can feel like a big responsibility to get it right and to be respectful.

The journey to understanding how to be a great First Nations ally is long and never ending. 

As a Wayapa Wuurrk practitioner, an earth mindfulness modality inspired by Australian Indigenous wisdom, I've been on my own journey to learn and understand as much as I can.

I learned that the journey begins with patience, communication, listening and connection.

The very values First Nations people hold dear.

Recently I heard this beautiful perspective from Brent Watkins, a Gunai Kurnai and Noongar man and musician/dancer with Culture Evolves:

“An Acknowledgement is an invitation for all of us to connect deeply to place, to feel its spirit in our heart. To feel gratitude for all that we get to enjoy from this land. And more than that, think how we can tread lightly on Country each and every day and care for it”.

That really spoke to me.

I share this in the hope that it will give pause to think about how we can all connect to the Acknowledgement and be invited to embrace the perspective it invites.

To truly sit in the moment and the sentiment and to also connect deeply ourselves.

If you’d like to deliver more meaningful Acknowledgements or perhaps even try to for the first time here are some tips to support you:

Practice

Like everything, the first time delivering an Acknowledgement can feel a little bit daunting.

Practice what you'll say a couple of times so you'll feel confident before delivering the Acknowledgement. Think about the meaning of the words you’ll be sharing.

Start with the simple, suggested framework if that feels more comfortable for you:

“I begin today by acknowledging the Traditional Custodians of the land <who they are>, on which we <gather/meet> today, and pay my respects to their Elders past and present. I extend that respect to any Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples here today.'

Connect

Find your own connection to the Acknowledgement.

A great place to start is thinking about what you cherish about the lands on which you learn, play, work and grow.

• What are you grateful for?

• Who came before you?

• What was the significance of the land you are on to its Traditional Custodians?

• In what ways can you tread more lightly on the land you are on?

Language matters

Anyone can deliver an Acknowledgement of Country.

A Welcome To Country can only be delivered by a First Nations person from that land and it is usually a community Elder. It is a ceremony where a consent is given to an event taking place on their traditional lands.

The difference is significant - they're not interchangeable terms.

Be clear on which land you are on and the peoples you're paying respect to.

If you're not sure, you can find it on your local council website or here www.aiatsis.gov.au/explore/map-indigenous-australia

Delivery

Don't rush through your Acknowledgement. This is when it becomes a tick-box exercise that feels meaningless and soulless.

Take a beat, a space between finishing the Acknowledgement and beginning proceedings.

Let the sentiment hang in the air. Let it feel meaningful.

While there is a structure to follow, you can bring your personal connection into it if there is something meaningful you want to acknowledge, for example, what you're grateful for with the land you are on.

Never assume there are no First Nations people present because the audience may not appear to be what you assume First Nations people look like. Always pay respects to any First Nations people present.

No pressure

Please know that trying and stumbling is okay.

Don't let feeling nervous prevent you from doing it.

The energy and intention and heart that you bring when you do an Acknowledgement is what matters the most.

Remember

An Acknowledgement is an important symbol that helps to create genuinely inclusive and safe spaces for First Nations people.

This is just one way you can show up as a First Nations ally.