Welcome to Country and Acknowledgement of Country are protocols used in Australia in relation to Aboriginal affairs.
A Welcome to Country ceremony, originated by Ernie Dingo and Richard Walley in 1976, is performed by a local Aboriginal person of significance to symbolise the traditional owners giving blessing to an event taking place on the land.
The Acknowledgement of Country is usually a statement or a speech made by an Aboriginal or a non-Aboriginal to show respect to the traditional custodians of the land.
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The format of these protocols is subject to discussion with local Aboriginal groups and the organisation itself.
The Welcome to Country is performed usually by an elder as the first item in the event. This symbolically welcomes participants and attendees to the land. The Welcome to Country can take the form of a speech or a performance.
The New South Wales Aboriginal Education Consultative Group (NSW AECG) suggests that the Acknowledgement of Country take the form of: "I would like to show my respect and acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land, of elders past and present, on which this meeting takes place."
Many Aborigines performing such ceremonies or openings request the payment of a fee in return for their services. One typical government guideline states "In providing cultural services such as Welcome to Country, artistic performances and ceremonies Aboriginal people are using their intellectual property. As such, providers of these services should be appropriately remunerated."
Following a Welcome to Country by a local Aborigine, additional speakers may provide an Acknowledgement of Country. A Welcome of Country does not preclude an Acknowledgement of Country.
In the event that no traditional indigenous representative can be present, an Acknowledgement can be made in an introductory or welcoming speech.