Welcome to Country Meaning: What They Got Wrong | Evolve Communities

Carla Rogers is a community engagement specialist, facilitator, and program designer dedicated to Closing the Gap. After a Churchill Fellowship in 2001, she founded Evolve in 2005 and later joined forces with Aunty Munya. Blending Elder wisdom with world-class facilitation, she equips non-Indigenous Australians with the skills to become passionate and effective Allies to First Nations people.

It was 2005, I was lying on the floor of a meditation workshop at the foot of Gulaga, the sacred mountain of the Yuin people, eyes closed, breath steady.

A voice filled the space, rich with wisdom and poetry, and in that moment, it reached deep into my soul.

Fast forward to last Saturday, and I was captivated again – this time, not by a recording, but by the presence of David Whyte, the British poet and storyteller, on stage at the Wesley Chapel. No slides, no gimmicks, just the raw power of words.

David opened with a blessing, describing it as:

Which brings me to Welcome to Country.

 – Aunty Munya

Another form of blessing – one that has recently come under attack.

A powerful article in , “Feeling Unwelcome: Why Debate is Mounting Over an Ancient Ceremony”, explored the growing backlash against Welcome to Country. Critics claim it is divisive or costly, yet the reality is far from it.

At a local council meeting in Taree, a place I know well, Councillor Mick Graham dismissed the practice as , while others declared: 

In that same room, Biripi man Jeremy Saunders sat quietly, later sharing:

The Truth Behind the Misinformation

The backlash against Welcome to Country is not just about ceremony – t’s about Indigenous cultural visibility. Misinformation is driving the debate, including:

• The false claim that it is divisive – In reality, it is a generous invitation to share and respect Country.
• The cost argument – Some say it’s a  yet over two years, only $550,000 was spent by federal agencies—compared to $10 million allocated for Australia Day events in a single year.
• The idea that it’s a modern invention – In truth, it has existed for tens of thousands of years as a protocol for seeking permission to enter another group’s land.

 – Aunty Munya

Closing the Gap

This issue speaks to something much deeper.

A Welcome to Country is an act of recognition, a moment to say,  When that is dismissed or erased, it sends a powerful message of exclusion.

Which brings me back to David Whyte, who describes friendship as:

This is echoed by Aunty Munya:

Are we going to turn our backs on this extended hand?

How will we show up as Allies? We have lots of ideas – but I’d love to hear from you too. What are your thoughts on this? Did something in this email resonate with you – or challenge you?

Join our community of Allies

Let’s show our Indigenous brothers and sisters that we are here for them, we value their Voices and we are committed to continuing the journey towards Reconciliation.

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