How many Welcomes to Country is too many?
16 July 2019
Archived article
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Sir – A very long term Katherine resident recently questioned the need for a Welcome to Country ceremony at a payroll tax seminar convened in the Katherine Town Council chambers, and three such ceremonies being held at the council’s fireworks display held merely to let off a few crackers.
There were four Welcomes to Country at a subsequent council meeting while at an earlier rates forum in the council chambers, a community member of Indigenous descent questioned the council for not holding a Welcome to Country ceremony.
While there is a need for us to be respectful of our first citizens, the number of Welcome to Country ceremonies that government agencies compel the public to listen to these days is over the top.
The bleeding hearts and do-gooders in our society today appear to have the upper hand in paying respects to the traditional owners of the land we are living on. An action that is patronising to an ethnic group is creating division in our society.
Many citizens in Australia today have developed a bad case of ceremonyitis. The adverse symptoms of this condition will probably worsen as time goes by, thus creating huge problems for our nation in the years ahead.
Bruce Francais (pictured)
Katherine
Poker machine money!
One.
I lived next door to an Elder a few years back when all this started and he told me the welcome to country was a made up white man thing to make them feel better about taking their land.
It is not their way but if they were willing to pay him (it was $2,000 a pop) for a one minute speech he would go along with it.
@ Bruce Francais: Yes Bruce, it is done to death – political correctness overboard – particularly by government.
Government believe they are right up with it, acknowledging Aboriginal people with that charade while not properly delivering on programs to Aboriginal people still stuck with hangovers of the intervention that controls their income management and self determination.
In the end it begins to cheapen what it’s all about – like it can be bandied around any old time, not reserved for very real and important occasions of significance. Just plain stupid and insulting.
Respect is everything so provided it is done respectfully it should be graciously accepted.
As Australia is a multicultural country and becoming more so each year, so why does is appear that the Aboriginal culture is the only recognised one?
The WA Libs abandoned the welcome to country nonsense at their state conference recently.
That was a good thing.
As a novelty it may have some value.
However, done to death it just looks like an over indulgence for the virtue signallers.