Acknowledge Traditional
Owners and Welcome
to Country Protocol
Internal Guide for NAB Employees
Acknowledge Traditional Owners and Welcome to Country Protocol Internal Guide for NAB Employees
NAB acknowledges
Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islanders are
Australia’s first peoples
and the traditional
owners and custodians
of the land on which
we work.
“When we talk about traditional
‘country’... we mean something beyond
the dictionary definition of the word.
For Aboriginal Australians... we might
mean homeland, or tribal or clan area
and we might mean more than just
a place on the map. For us, country
is a word for all the values, places,
resources, stories and cultural
NAB’s Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) sets
out our commitment to helping build strong,
sustainable and inclusive communities.
Reconciliation is the process of Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander people and other
Australians working together with respect
for the betterment of society.
A key commitment in NAB’s RAP is to build our
organisational understanding of and respect
for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people,
their culture and aspirations.
Recognising traditional owners at our
meetings and inviting Aboriginal Elders
to give a Welcome to Country ceremony at
events is one way we can show our respect
for Australia’s first people.
obligations associated with that area
and its features. It describes the entirety
of our ancestral domains. So when we
acknowledge traditional country... it is
no empty ritual: it is to acknowledge
who we, the Aboriginal people, are
and our place in this nation. It is to take
special note of a place and the people
who belong to it.”
Professor Mick Dodson, Australian of the Year at the National Press Club, 17 February 2009.
This protocol can be used by employees
as a guide to respectfully acknowledge the
traditional owners and custodians of the
land at meetings and events and describes
when a local Elder should be consulted
about holding a traditional Welcome to
Country ceremony.
The protocol also contains a statement of
acknowledgement which can be used at
smaller or more regular meetings. It has been
developed in consultation with Aboriginal
leaders and Reconciliation Australia.
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Acknowledge Traditional Owners and Welcome to Country Protocol Internal Guide for NAB Employees
1. A
cknowledge Traditional
Owners and Custodians
What is acknowledging traditional owners and
custodians?
At the start of a forum or meeting, it is respectful for the
MC or first speaker to recognise the traditional owners and
custodians of the land on which the meeting is occurring.
Subsequent speakers may also wish to recognise
traditional owners and custodians.
When should we acknowledge traditional
owners and custodians?
Traditional owners and custodians should be
acknowledged at larger meetings or forums, eg:
•At team or business unit gatherings and when bringing
people from across the organisation together;
•When hosting a conference and bringing people
from outside the organisation together;
•When people have travelled to meet together; and
•It is especially important when discussing issues relating
to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and
when Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
are attending.
Example for Melbourne:
“I’d like to begin by acknowledging the
traditional owners and custodians of
the land on which we meet today, the
Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation.
I pay my respects to their Elders both
past and present.”
Example for Sydney:
“I would like to start by acknowledging
the Gadigal people of the Eora nation,
and pay my respects to their Elders both
past and present.”
You may wish to seek advice from
Aboriginal Land Councils, Local
Government, State Departments of
Aboriginal Affairs and state/local
community organisations who can provide
information on who the traditional owner
group/s are in your local area.
NAB’s Indigenous Finance & Development
team can also be contacted for help –
indigenous@nab.com.au
How should traditional owners and custodians
be acknowledged?
A few options are available to acknowledge traditional
owners and custodians of the land. A general
acknowledgement can be used if you are unsure of the
name of the group or if there are two or more groups
to acknowledge. If you prefer, there is also the option
to specifically acknowledge the local group/s that
are known.
a. General Acknowledgement
“I’d like to begin by acknowledging the traditional owners
and custodians of the land on which we are meeting today.
I would also like to pay my respects to the Elders past
and present”.
b. A
cknowledgement specific to location and
community
“I’d like to begin by acknowledging the traditional owners
and custodians of the land on which we meet today, the
(Nation) OR
the
(people) of the
(Nation)
and pay my respects to their Elders both past and present.”
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Acknowledge Traditional Owners and Welcome to Country Protocol Internal Guide for NAB Employees
2. W
hat is a Welcome to Country ceremony?
What is a Welcome to Country ceremony?
A ‘Welcome to Country’ is when the traditional Aboriginal
or Torres Strait Islander custodian of the land or Elder
welcomes people to their land. This can be done through
a speech, dance, song, traditional smoking ceremony
or a combination of these.
When should a Welcome to Country be organised?
When opening a significant event, conference or new
facilities, particularly involving larger numbers of people
or regional centres, contact should be made with the
traditional owners/custodians to discuss what would
be appropriate.
How should a Welcome to Country be organised?
The first point of contact should be made with your
local Aboriginal Land Council, Local Government or State
Department for Indigenous Affairs to help with identifying
the traditional owner group/s and if they have previously
provided Welcome to Country ceremonies. Be aware that
making contact and holding discussions can take time.
In some areas, there may be more than one group.
If this is the case, it is best to consult with both groups
to determine how the Welcome to Country will be given
(e.g. in Melbourne there are two groups Wurundjeri
& Boonerwrung both forming part of the Kulin Nation).
If this is not possible, both groups should be
acknowledged as the traditional owners and custodians
of the land by using the ‘General Acknowledgement’
format as above.
The Welcome to Country ceremony should be the first
activity at the event. After the ceremony, the following
speaker or MC should thank the Elder/s who provided
the ‘Welcome to Country’ and then acknowledge
the traditional owners of the land by using the
‘Acknowledgement specific to location and community’
format as per above.
As can be expected for any consultant providing a
service, traditional custodians or Elders will often charge
a nominal fee for providing a Welcome to Country
ceremony. This fee covers their costs including time,
travel and any materials involved (if relevant).
3. N
AB’s Statement of
Acknowledgement
This formal statement can be used at internal meetings
which may be too small or too regular or not considered
‘important’ enough to warrant a full Welcome to
Country or Acknowledgement of traditional owners
and custodians:
“NAB encourages and
promotes diversity, fairness
and respect for everyone and
acknowledges that Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islanders are
Australia’s first peoples and
the traditional owners and
custodians of the land on
which we meet today.”
Find out more, visit nab.com.au/indigenous
Matilda House, Ngambri Elder gave a warm Welcome to Country
speech at the launch of NAB’s, Reconciliation Action Plan in
Canberra, December 2008.
©2013 National Australia Bank Limited ABN 12 004 044 937 AFSL and Australian Credit Licence 230686 A103999-0813
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