He also referred to BC as “Before Cook”
The Welcome to Country Mickey O’Brien does for the Melbourne finals is actually pretty decent, so maybe try and replicate something like that and incorporate local elements into it where appropriate.
I think the people that are complaining about the Welcome to Country and calling it at controversy and the what not need to have a good look at themselves. It’s just a shame that there are some people who think white people are the traditional owners own the land.
Get over it for fuck sake.
I understand what you were trying to say but you should have been specific in what it was that was so offensive.
Recognising the traditional owners is not getting out of hand ? Maybe it’s your perception and resistance to see this is making you a bit bias perhaps ?
I don’t think it’s as simple as that.
As the gentleman said last night, they aren’t welcoming “white people” to country, they’re welcoming other Aboriginal people to their land.
If this is indeed true it is quite divisive after all.
Of the 3.8% of Aboriginal people in Australia, exactly how many of them are at a particular event or place at the one time?
That’s an incredibly small minority and as sad and unfortunate as it as, it’s not relevant to the rest of the population. He even said it himself last night.
Excuse me, I never said that at all. We can work together, it is not a us vs them thing. Both Indigenous and Non-Indigenous people can work together towards a greater society. No divide - togetherness.
I think we should recognise the traditional owners but it does not need to be with a 10 minute speech at the start of a ceremony (where people start zoning out a few minutes in anyway). We can respectfully acknowledge with a short but important acknowledgement. 10 minutes is far too long.
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None of us here are suggesting to get rid of it. None of us are saying that white people own the land. The welcome to country is important, however, it becomes an issue when it goes on for more than a few minutes, or they try and include facts about colonisation or take shots at historical figures - there is a time and a plce for that, and a peaceful welcome to country is NOT the place for it at all.
What they should be doing is welcoming people to the lands, and acknowledging the local’s connection to the lands.
Neither am I.
Exactly - it loses it’s impact if it takes too long.
I never said he was offensive - He was talking too much dribble that is the problem. Going on wild tangents and losing people by going off topic as to what the point of the ceremony is all about. The impact of why the ceremony takes place loses it’s genuine impact when it takes too long - that is not how to win people over.
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Was he permitted to speak for that long and go off on a tangent?
I’ve seen the Comms brief for some of these larger events, they are down to the minute, and the Comms team would have wanted a pre brief from him prior to speaking.
I assume they signed off on it.
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Would be especially important when you have to fit in in within team warm up’s, national anthem, etc.
My question with this is did they ask him what he was going to say, or did they just ask him how long he was intending to speak for?
I wonder if Brendan went off script when he did the Welcome to Country speech.
If GWS host another final in the future, I don’t think he will be invited to do the ceremony again.
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You’re so right, a ceremonial acknowledgement of history should not include any facts or historical references.
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It’s not meant to be an acknowledgement of history - it’s a welcome to country from the traditional owners of the land talking about their connection to the land.
Yes exactly that’s the point of it. I am not sure why there are certain people see so against it. It’s their land and performing they ceremony should be embrassed.
VictoriaSun I still have no clue what you are on about so I won’t engage with you further . If you can’t provide further specific points as to what was so offensive to the ceremony or what he said then I can’t really engage ? No need to get so defensive , you are the one that came blasting on about it. It is only an issue because Australia still has a problem recognising the true right owners of the country.
I dare you say to what you said to me an Indeginous person and see how far you will get then? It’s easy to mouth off on a keyboard eh?
Sounds to me there’s a bunch of racists on this forum.
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I think it’s definitely recognised by most people but they don’t care.
I still think if there were a higher amount of Aboriginal people then it might be more recognised and respected but with such a very low percentage I think people just don’t care.
I’d be careful with that.
As for @VictorianSun’s comments. He’s being very clear to me. He thought it was too long. Pretty simple stuff here.
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That relies the problem . No one wants to care . You know if the shoe were on the other foot these people here probably would. But i understood what you are trying to say but people like VictoriaSun who make these outlandish posts and doesn’t give specifics as to what it was actually about just makes it look as if he is coming off as racist.
Look what happened at how well Australia treated Stan Grant. Spoke truth and got fucked over . Because of what he said about Australia in general is true . Sadly I think a few people on here reflect that old racist attitude. If they don’t want to hear about it, it’s not real.
But what was so bad about it? What did he say? Why did he get so upset ? He clearly can’t articulate or give me insight .
He answered you. This is what he said:
What’s unclear?
With all due respect @Daniel_Del_Borrello, I can see where you’re coming from, but I don’t think anyone here in being racist (or at the very least intentionally being racist).
I think the main issue dividing people are these comments:
- “A Welcome to Country is not a ceremony we’ve invented to cater for white people”
- “And the BC stands for Before Cook.”
Obviously many out there those comments as unnecessary - I can see why they included this stuff, but I reckon that they should just be focusing on welcoming the people to their traditional lands and what it means to them.
I apologies if I have accidently offended you, however, as @David has mentioned, it’s more the length of the welcome to country that’s becoming an issue - if it goes for too long, then it loses it’s impact.
And I think @VictorianSun made it pretty clear here what his issue is
Also, the only articles reporting such issues with the content are the DM and News Corp.
I think the little white Aussie folks need to stop crying about being hurt by a persons words. The reaction on here and probably on news corp is telling.
Can I ask are you an indigenous Australian?