Producing a virtual and inclusive Acknowledgement of Country
Those who attended the 2019 Indigenous Mapping Workshop Australia (IMW) will recall being welcomed to Noongar Whadjuk country by Freda Ogilvie, who opened the event with a traditional smoking ceremony.
Protocols such as these have been a part of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures for thousands of years. In contemporary culture, official Acknowledgements of Country have been adopted for the purpose of opening events - this is to show respect for what is truly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander land.
The year 2020 not only forced us to be creative in the delivery of our workshop materials, it forced us to push our creative boundaries when it came to delivering an authentic Welcome to Country for our participants.
Our team faced the challenge of capturing the authenticity and inclusivity of an in-person Welcome to Country in a multimedia format. As the IMW Australia - On Demand platform is accessible Australia-wide, the Winyama team opted to produce a virtual Acknowledgement of Country.
The Acknowledgement of Country was broadcast to welcome all participants and guests during the IMW Australia - On Demand launch event and now sits on the IMW Australia - On Demand homepage to welcome future participants and visitors.
The motivation behind this method was to acknowledge the country across all states and territories where our workshopped materials are accessed and viewed, as opposed to where they were created and produced.
To read about the difference between an Acknowledgment of Country and a Welcome to Country, visit this resource from Reconciliation Australia.
Our Acknowledgement of Country was produced with the voiceover from Bibbulmun Maaman, Colin Hanson. The voiceover was overlaid with drone footage from three Indigenous drone pilots; Clinton Walker, Curtis Taylor, and Andrew Dowding. Their footage captured many landscapes from different corners of Australia.
Watch our Acknowledgment of Country here:
In the beginning there was nothing, no people, no plants, no animals.
The world was soft and dark.
Ancestral beings emerged, creators who could see all time, from the dreaming to now.
They began to make people, plants, animals. They made language and law for each country with stories and lessons for all.
We are from the oldest living cultures in the world.
Across this land, we lead the custodianship of people, plants and animals.
It is our responsibility to protect these ancient laws, customs and country, to respect our ancestors and creators.
With the Indigenous Mapping Workshop, we map our stories, customs and languages - we map our country with the world’s best practices.
This meets our cultural, spiritual and economic obligations and it allows us to continue caring for our communities.
We always have and always will use technology, and we invite you to join us.
We acknowledge our country, and welcome you to the Indigenous Mapping Workshop.
The IMW Australia team is proud to have produced a digital Acknowledgement of Country that we believe is respectful and inclusive of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
If you are looking to create your own digital Acknowledgement of Country, we recommend co-creating with Indigenous Elders and leaders in your community.
Are you interested in learning more about the IMW Australia - On Demand? Check out our courses available here: