Whose Welcome Is It? Reclaiming the Right to Country

Who is a Welcome to Country for, anyway? When words carry power, it puts our cultural spirit at risk.

The practice of a Welcome to Country has recently gained media attention and sparked debate after a series of stadium events featuring varied approaches to the ceremony. Representatives of Local Land Councils and some high-profile Aboriginal people have weighed in on the appropriateness of the Welcome and on the selection of the individual performing the ceremony. While this is a valuable dialogue, perhaps we should start at the community level, not as another national debate.

Some argue that Ernie Dingo invented the Welcome. I find that curious; I met Mr. Dingo at the premiere of One Night the Moon, a film based on a case involving my Great-Grandfather, a tracker who was refused entry to a property and only located the remains of a missing child years later. I may be wrong, but I cannot recall Mr. Dingo Welcoming us, and it would have been strange, as he is not from our Country.

There is protocol here, which I’ve written about before in articles concerning representation. This is where things often go wrong, driven by colonialism and black settler colonialism—both increasingly pressing issues.

The protocols I’m referring to are the "4 Ps"—simple yet fundamental principles. The first is PLACE, specific to the geographic area and cultural group; PROTOCOLS, a set of rules governing the group; PRACTICE, the way things are done and not done; and finally, PERMISSION, which should be straightforward. These foundations, though variable by nation, form a common understanding that makes everything else possible.

Colonisation has impacted our ways, but many Elders maintain the knowledge of these Lores and apply them in modern times.

Origins of Recorded Welcome

According to Wikipedia (and yes, I’m using it because it’s about what people think is the truth, not what actually is), Ernie Dingo and Richard Walley first collaborated on a Welcome in 1976 in Perth when a Pacific Islander dance crew refused to perform without one. The Guardian claims this wasn’t the first instance of the ancient tradition but was rather the first Welcome performed to non-Indigenous people.

This is a big claim without substantial evidence. We know, for example, that the Dutch landed in Cape York in 1606. It’s likely they weren’t welcomed by mob up there, especially given the Dutch colonising mindset at the time. Meanwhile, Benjamin Law has written about how Asian immigration to Australia predates James Cook, making me wonder how much paperwork their ancestors needed back then.

Culturally Safe Protocols and Practices

Now that we’ve explored popularised, or should I say performative Welcomes, I’d like to share my personal understanding of what I consider culturally safe protocols and practices.

I am Tubba-Gah Wiradjuri from Dubbo, NSW. There's a misconception concerning the name "Dubbo" and its meaning. A minor variation in this meaning perpetuates terra nullius and denies my existence, even though my mob was among the first to have a Native Title determination in NSW. Tubba or Dubba—the spelling doesn’t matter—is the same word in my language, where "T" and "D" sounds are somewhere in between.

For my mob, Tubba means ochre, especially the red ochre, which is rare in NSW. My village, where Dubbo now stands, was said to be about 1,500 people with multiple outposts across a large area. We have songs, or songlines, about these places, and thankfully, many paper records too.

Our ochre is significant enough to represent us as a Clan. It was a major export, along with hardwood tools and stone items. The river factory at Terramungamine, where stones have been sharpened for over 38,000 years, stands as evidence.

We know that, pre-colonisation, our society was made up of expert traders, with items traded not only across the country but into Indonesia and Asia. Managing this level of diplomacy and trade required careful knowledge—knowledge that remains specific to place and culture.

See, my mob has been welcoming for a very long time, way before the King, Cook, or Jesus. We sing our Welcomes in our language, not English.

I argue that the nuances of performance, tone, body movement, and percussion intersection are as significant as the words sung. It’s more about frequency and resonance, which aligns with universal energy.

Land Councils and Cultural Authority

It’s time someone addressed the cultural elephant in the room: Land Councils. NSWALC’s authority is rooted in the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983, not in cultural lore. This Act addresses land compensation for those dispossessed but doesn’t govern cultural matters.

Local Land Councils (LALCs) sometimes hold MOUs with councils, giving them a monopoly over Welcome to Country ceremonies, which raises important questions. I believe local government should not have authority over cultural practices. Only a Traditional Owner can give a true Welcome; that is the lore.

I do believe any Aboriginal leader, including those with Land Councils, has the right to call out a Welcome to Country, but calling out someone’s Aboriginality crosses a line. It may be considered defamatory, which would be worth testing in court. Protocols encourage openness and transparency—questions like, “Who is your mob? Where is your Country?” aren’t meant to harm but to maintain cultural sovereignty.

A Call for Truth-Telling

The bigger question is why we allowed such sacred practices to be diluted for workplace compliance. Catholic scriptures aren’t altered to fit workplace health and safety standards.

In our case, organisations selectively accept and celebrate aspects of our culture in the name of “reconciliation.” I’d argue we don’t need reconciliation; we need truth-telling and a Black renaissance—a period where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples can share the real stories, the heartbreak and destruction, but also our stories of love, hope, and future.

It is in these community conversations about data sovereignty and truth-telling that real strength lies. Conversations in community establish governance rooted in cultural protection and help us move beyond resilience toward anti-fragility. True liberation and a mutual understanding are only possible through truth, humility, respect, and curiosity.