The digital Acknowledgement of Country
Acknowledging Country is a protocol we’ve practiced for thousands of years. It’s a way of showing respect to the Traditional Custodians of the Country you gather on. Reflecting it belongs to someone else.
It’s different to a Welcome to Country, which can only be performed by the Traditional Custodians. Anyone can perform (or in this case, write) an Acknowledgement.
The Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) has a beautiful explanation of the 2 protocols.
Acknowledging Country on websites and emails
A traditionally oral practice, we’re talking here about the digital Acknowledgement – an altered version that suits the new ways we communicate.
It’s still an important opening for a gathering, but it has become common for people to write an Acknowledgement of Country for their websites and put them on the bottom of emails. Instead of being a way to respectfully enter a particular area or hold a gathering, it’s a stamp to say ‘I acknowledge Traditional Custodians’ every moment of the day.
But, if you want to do it, how do you make sure what you’re writing is respectful and appropriate? People who want to do it shy away because they’re afraid of saying the wrong thing.
There are a few sources out there with templates, but if you copy and paste, there are some things to keep in mind.
Why Acknowledge Country?
I’ve learned people find doing or writing an Acknowledgement a nervous time. Why we do it, who it’s for and what it should say might relieve some of those feelings.
The ‘why’ is just as important as the other factors. Don’t write an Acknowledgement without truly feeling it. We reject Terra Nullius – this country was home to people who were part of established Nations well before the arrival of foreign sailors and colonialists.
Our Indigenous cultures are alive. We have the oldest surviving cultures in the world. And Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are still Custodians of this sacred land.
If you don’t know about this (which is common given our colonial slant in primary school education), you have some catching up to do first.
Share our Pride by Reconciliation Australia is an excellent resource on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and cultures. And the ABC’s Right Wrongs will tell you some big truths.
Cultural capability and awareness training courses are available in person and online in your area with a google search.
I get writing and performing on a cultural, sensitive subject can make people nervous. The thing is, the more we do it, the more common practice it becomes, and the more natural it feels.
Plus, the more you do it at the beginning of public speaking, the more second-nature it will be for you and for the people in your audience. And the more people see it written on your website or email, the more likely they are to do it too.
And, maybe most importantly, the more we see and hear people expressing gratitude to First Peoples and acknowledging their local mob as true custodians, the closer we feel to a cohesive community.
What goes in a digital Acknowledgement of Country?
The Traditional Custodians of the land you live and work on are still the Custodians. You’re broadcasting that you understand and acknowledge they:
have a deep spiritual connection to the lands and waters where you are
are the First Peoples of the land
are the rightful ‘owners’ (though some reject the terminology of ‘owning’ the land).
Too often an acknowledgement is given as part of ‘a process’. Some people treat it (and see it) like a box ticking exercise.
But now you know why you’re doing an acknowledgement. You can pour some heart into the content. You’ve taken your first step to writing something that makes an impact. Something that is actually a reconciliation action, not just words on a page.
Writing your digital Acknowledgement
An Acknowledgement typically flows like this:
Who you’re acknowledging and why you’re doing it.
Where you live and that you respect the First Peoples who have looked after the land and waters for millennia.
A very simple example is: I acknowledge Ngunnawal people, the First Peoples of Canberra where I live and work. I respect and acknowledge their Elders, past and present.
If you use a template or someone else’s acknowledgement as a foundation, you can find a way to make it your own. It’s not a cookie cutter, it’s a personal offering. Insert your feelings about being grateful and respectful of being on Aboriginal land.
Some key sticky points:
Elders, Country, First Peoples all use a capital for respect.
Custodians is preferred by some people over ‘Owners’, as it better encompasses the connection to land and the way we care for it.
Many people dislike being called ‘Indigenous’ as it was a reference used by colonial record keepers, to say the First Peoples were not seen as ‘people’, but part of the flora and fauna. My opinion is to avoid it in communications.
Acknowledging future or emerging Elders is seen as a puzzling practice by many, as our communities are led by our Elders and the point of Acknowledging is to respect them, not people who are not them yet.
Resources to help you Acknowledge Country
Some things you can do before you start writing:
Visit Reconciliation Australia to learn about our shared history and why reconciliation is important.
Check out AIATSIS’ resources, including the Indigenous Australia map, which is an excellent guide for who the Traditional Owners are across the country and makes gorgeous wall art.
Go to Share our Pride (by Reconciliation Australia) for a wealth of knowledge about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and cultures.
Learn about your area – find out who the traditional custodians are, their language/s, customs and special places (Welcome to Country has some great experiences).
The Narragunnawali terminology guide will give you some pointers on respectful and inclusive language.
Where I’m coming from
This is about sending you on a path of discovery rather than telling you how to practice cultural protocol. I’m not a Traditional Custodian. I’m not a cultural expert or advisor. I’m a Dharawal copywriter who has communicated on issues relating to or for First Peoples for 15 years. In other words, I’m just someone who writes about culture and people a lot. And I see others with good intentions struggling all the time with this subject.
I talked about this many times working in government communications. High-up people across agencies wanted to make sure their teams were respecting Country and customs and I became the central ‘sensitivity checker’. As a copywriter in groups with many other freelancers, now I get small businesses and other copywriters also wanting help to write an Acknowledgement or get theirs checked.
My purpose here is to help you feel more confident to continue learning and hopefully understand a small thing you can do towards reconciliation. That thing isn’t about slapping a few words in your email signature – it’s about why you’re doing it and what you learn in the process.
