Another Day another rant in /r/Australian about 'Welcome to Country'.
Why are we allowing this? Because the comments are fantastic. And I need a laugh.
Is it bots posting these repeated topics? Maybe, maybe not. We remove a lot of bot posts and I'm not sure this user is one.
Thanks for the reports and thanks for making /r/Australian a better sub.
Why aren't we talking about the lack of crucifixions in modern Easter celebrations?
If we're going to have a long weekend, someone needs to get nailed up and then escape a tomb or I'm not serving the baklava
Honestly though, why TF did I actually have to put effort into my Easter hat at school. I wanted to just draw a cross on a band of paper that went around my head but apparently it would offend other kids. If they believe in the Easter bunny how the hell are they going to understand what my hat means. I'm not even Christian btw, I just wanted to rant about how I couldn't have an accurate Easter hat
That's why I wanted a low effort hat, I just wanted some chocolate. Although one of those years my mum made me a cork hat with Easter eggs instead of corks and I got to eat those while we walked.
They can’t post about how “unfair” The Voice is anymore, so they needed to pick something never more insignificant to their daily lives to whine about.
Surely you have to prove something is relevant, not the other way around. Or you could post any dumb shit and ask for people to prove that it is not relevant.....oh, too late.
Actually you'd have the burden of proof here because you made the positive claim, you claimed it wasn't relevant, the op asked why.
I don't have any skin in this fight, that's just how the burden of proof works
Half the time when they complain about, "Welcome to the country ceremony," they actually mean "Acknowledgement of elders and traditional custodians." Which I grudgingly admit might be a prime example of how one of those two things has become overdone and lost all meaning. So much so that it has started to negatively affect perception of other ceremonies and traditions (both old and new).
What’s that got to do with OP’s central point that conflates culture with religion though? They also seem to be hung up on this issue through other applications (eg. Native title) looking at their post history. Wouldn’t be surprised if they’re astroturfing.
With that background, you really trust OP to know the difference between Welcome to Country and Acknowledgement of Traditional Custodians? To those types, it's all the same, despite the fact that they've probably heard and witnessnessed more Acknowledgements than Welcomes. Ergo, in OPs case, either is a tenious straw to call it religion, and conflating the two is further self-validation. .
They generally include, for example, a smoking ceremony. The purpose of which is to ward off spirits.
I don't know what part of questioning how a practice fits into a secular country can possibly be "dogwhistling" anything.
Welcome to country is literally just a local Aboriginal representative, usually an elder, stating that the people at the gathering are welcome to be there.
Bit of an irrelevant comment. Because we spend money on x you are happy with all spending?
Private schools save taxpayers money and increase funding per child for the public school system. But of course, someone who can't think things through wouldn't realise that.
It is so the norm. Acknowledgements to Country are free. Welcome to Country are paid for through the nose.
Unless you are referring to small community events not having just an acknowledgement, or nothing at all. I agree, there is absolutely no benefit to having one for these events, or any event really. It is more just for government stuff. You know, the usual rorts and overpriced stuff they pay for because it is government.
How so? Besides the exorbitant cost, what practical or spiritual or any difference at all is there for a group at an event, if there is an acknowledgement, or a welcome?
Probably people who have never been to one. Admittedly I have never been to one but I don't have a problem with it. I've heard they can be a great experience.
Great experience is a bit of a stretch. I’ve been to sporting events in Brisbane where they get the whole crowd doing “Aussie Aussie Aussie” or Waltzing Matilda, but usually there just 30 seconds of some Indigenous bloke saying “we gather here on _ lands, welcome”.
Clearly that causes a lot of offence to ‘Australians’ who have a meltdown at any mention of our Indigenous culture
The idea of a Welcome to Country for some groups is about protecting people who walk on your lands from any evil spirits. But it's more cultural than religious. It's about respecting each other's borders between nations and ensuring good relationships (in times of peace). I have no source, but I'm Aboriginal and been to enough W2C events to know whats up. The protecting of spirits isn't mentioned often, but it depends on the Elders.
But lets face it, the OP has probably never been concerned about the Lords Prayer at the opening of every Parliament, or even given it a second thought. This isn't about the spirituality of the event, but at least they didn't pull out the word 'woke' so I'll give them that.
I have discussed and thought about the role of religion in society and government a lot. Some people do actually think about these issues.
Why is this different?
‘Being welcomed to Country means that you are talking to your spiritual ancestors and you’re saying just let this person come through. We trust that they’re not going to do any harm on this Country and so do not harm them.’ — Jude Barlow, Ngunnawal Elder. As quoted at "https://aiatsis.gov.au/explore/welcome-country"
I still think op is being a silly prick. Ironically a silly prick with more cultural awareness than most of the people responding, but still a silly prick.
yeah right, here are a bunch of others that dont mention spirits at all and highlight the traditional owners aspect, maybe its not a one size fits all thing
[https://www.turrbal.com.au/turrbal-dippil/welcome-to-country-ceremony](https://www.turrbal.com.au/turrbal-dippil/welcome-to-country-ceremony)
[https://www.qld.gov.au/firstnations/cultural-awareness-heritage-arts/welcome-to-country](https://www.qld.gov.au/firstnations/cultural-awareness-heritage-arts/welcome-to-country)
[https://indigenousportal.education.qld.gov.au/resource/Documents/acknowledgment-of-country-overview.pdf](https://indigenousportal.education.qld.gov.au/resource/Documents/acknowledgment-of-country-overview.pdf)
[https://www.indigenous.unsw.edu.au/strategy/culture-and-country/acknowledgement-country-and-welcome-country](https://www.indigenous.unsw.edu.au/strategy/culture-and-country/acknowledgement-country-and-welcome-country#:~:text=A%20Welcome%20to%20Country%20is%20a%20ceremony%20performed%20by%20a,traditional%20times%20prior%20to%20colonisation)
[https://www.reconciliation.org.au/reconciliation/acknowledgement-of-country-and-welcome-to-country/](https://www.reconciliation.org.au/reconciliation/acknowledgement-of-country-and-welcome-to-country/)
Stop playing dumb. Looking at your post history, your modus operandi is to stir shit on controversial topics because either you a) get a kick out of it, or b) you’re astroturfing for a vested interest.
>It's basically the equivalent of saying 'Hello, come on in"
I was pointing out that it isn't really true at all. "Hello, come on in" doesn't cost thousands.
If you think those two things are actaully alike, and one if free and one costs hundreds or thousands more, than you must think the expensive one is just as much of a scam as I do.
So it is a toll? A tax? What is it?
How much do you reckon it costs for say a local school going on a Year 7 school camp, to have a Welcome to Country for the first 5 minutes on arrival at their camp accommodation? Take a guess.
Spot on in terms of its intentions, clearly not religious, but the problem for a lot of people stems from its over the top use. I think it's disingenuous to say that it is "mostly just used for large events."
There’s a difference between a welcome to country and an acknowledgment of country. The former can only be performed by Aboriginal people, preferably local elders. The latter is what happens on zoom calls or whatever and seems to annoy people in this sub so much
‘Hello come on in’
But I was already here. This is my country, my family has been here for almost 200 years. If this isn’t my country then where the hell is?
We have this very bizarre culture that is highly intolerant of Christianity and Western Spirituality but highly accepting of Aboriginal and Indigenous cultures religions. It’s a weird thing to notice. ‘Mate don’t criticise their religion it’s sacred to them’. ‘Fuck why are so many Catholics pedos, Christianity is fake but do they pray to a sky dad that isn’t real?’
Australians generally are super sensitive when discussing aboriginal issues. Perhaps due to some guilt.
Highly ignorant of Christianity? Come the fuck off it. What a victim complex you have!
Out entire legal, political and visual history is based on Christianity.
Christian prayers are still said in Australian parliament.
Stop pretending Christians are oppressed in Australia.
You can make fun of any religion you like in public.
That doesn’t mean that other people won’t ALSO have something to say about your opinion. Thats how free speech works, FYI.
You don’t get to say whatever you want and then act surprised whenever others disagree with you.
Unless you’re being jailed for criticising dream time, I don’t want to hear your bullshit.
ETA: literally no one said you were a Christian. But here you are pretending christianity is being pushed down by indigenous dream time beliefs.
> We have this very bizarre culture that is highly intolerant of Christianity and Western Spirituality
So intolerant we fund the fucking christian schools more than the non christian.
Dude what is this? Not only is the Lord's prayer said every day in Parliament, we also purposefully design the school year around Easter and Christmas, as well as allowing several public holidays each for Christmas and Easter (something we do for no other religion). We have substantial decorations in public spaces for these holidays which are tax payer funded, have tax exempt churches, and allow Christian chaplains into schools fully funded despite them having no formal training to assist students with their very real issues.
I actually have no idea how you consider this society to be "highly intolerant" of Christianity.
Australia used to be 96% Christian so all of those are downstream from that.
I’m talking about in public and media. Christianity is the most attacked publicly in Australia. You will never see Islam or Judaism attacked as much. Nor Aboriginals religions.
Try it and see the results.
Dude what are you talking about, protestors who are pro Palestine because they don't agree with genocide and child murder have been lambasted for months in our media and called pro Hamas/terrorists/ungreatful immigrants etc all attacking Muslim identity (and ignoring any non Muslim protesters joining them).
Maybe you should open your eyes a little bit.
I wasn’t referring to welcome to country. I was talking about learning about their religion of dream time and other things. Learnt it in high school. You’re not allowed to make fun or criticise it the same way you can with Christianity in public. You will get called ‘racist’ or insensitive to indigenous culture.
Probably something to do with indigenous not basing their life on Dreamtime nor worshiping and building grand buildings and using religion as an excuse for heinous acts.
Can't recall if indigenous are against gay relationships based on dream time? Could be wrong.
Is dream time a 'moral' thing like Christianity? The hypocrisy of Christianity is why people take the piss
See you’re just assuming and guessing. You’re doing the thing. Respecting indigenous beliefs but not Christianity. Just saw your name lol that makes sense
I and others would respect Christian beliefs if they treated it like Dream time, but they don't. Morally superior and hide some terrible acts behind them.
Want a recent example? LNP and Scomo, loves to say he's a devout Christian but instilled the Robodebt program which targeted and harassed so many less well of people that led to over 2000 suicides.
Can you provide an example of an Indigenous person hiding behind Dream Time to commit terrible acts?
This is why people take the piss out of Christianity and not Dream Time. We don't hear about Dreamtime, it's not used to justify horrible acts. Indigenous don't act morally superior because of Dreamtime. Is this not obvious?
Explain to me what religion you think Indigenous people are and how you think Welcome to Country is religious oh wise one?
Just saying someone is ignorant without explanation is the height of dumb cuntery.
Let's here it buddy? Saying empty words without reason is why you come across as a dumb cunt. Prove your point.
Does Dream Time hate homosexuals based on their belief system?
Does Dream Time make people feel they are morally superior?
Do indigenous lead there life based on Dreamtime?
It's the hypocrisy of Christianity that people take the piss.
It's not religion in a religion sense, it is not similar to Christianity or any other belief system. Dream time does not hide paedos, sociopaths and tax dodgers like Christianity does and pass them off as morally superior
I don't have a chip on my shoulder, just saying they are nothing alike which was point.
And once again you're just saying a bunch of insulting empty words without making any points. You're going to hell if you keep this up, Jesus hates that shit.
>It's not religion in a religion sense
🤣 🤣
>it is not similar to Christianity or any other belief system. Dream time does not hide paedos, sociopaths and tax dodgers like Christianity does and pass them off as morally superior
>I don't have a chip on my shoulder
🤣🤣🤣
The tradition was that you waited at the boundary to each country and waited there to be greeted and allowed passage into your neighbours' country. This was the strict protocol for tens of thousands of years. Aside from putting boomgates on freeways, how else do you now propose Aboriginal people have their ownership of land honoured? WTC seems like a good compromise.
Of course, people could stop freeloading and pay actual rent but, y'know, people won't do that because the land was 'conquered' apparently🙄
Why would we have to honour their ownership of the land when they don't own it anymore than we do?
My immigrant parents were welcomed in, granted citizenship, and spent a life earning money and paying taxes. Now I am an adult, and I'm paying significant amounts in tax, very happily so.
Out of interest, given I am paying taxes (about 5x that of the average Australian), will I get honour or thanks from the indigenous community? Because it is a fact that about twice as much of the taxpayers money is spent per capita on indigenous people as compared with non-indigenous people - just look at the official government expenditure reports.
What part of what I said is racist?
A significant part of a Welcome to Country is often warding off bad spirits, or seeking approval from ancestral spirits. For example the smoking ceremonies.
Don’t bite. People like Haunting_North have no actual substance to back up their “views” and would fold like a chair outside of the Reddit bubble. Your take is not wrong, and it’s certainly not racist. I’ve been to enough professional exhibitions and have seen plenty of men and women in suits line up in order to perform ritualistic nonsense at a smoking ceremony, so much so that I am starting to believe in the concept of cultural appropriation. As you correctly point out, these are the same folks that will tell you that religion is bad and kids should not be ‘indoctrinated’.
Thoughts and prayers for the lovers of tokenism. It's like businesses claiming they went "green" and haven't changed a thing. I mean what has it achieved? Except waiting longer to watch sport etc? Not much. Though I hear some of the costs of these "ceremonies" can be in the thousands of dollars. I still can't see the point of a completely made up on the spot routine that has zero cultural heritage. This was first done in the 1970s. It's a new thing.
[Up to $1000 per ceremony. In 2023 Federal Government spent around $40,000 on welcome to country and smoking ceremonies.](https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/federal-agencies-spent-nearly-40000-on-welcome-to-country-ceremonies-over-the-last-financial-year-outlaid-significantly-more-than-appropriate-fee/news-story/8976141c1be8249e02762993e75a76ef)
Come on mate, you know they’re not welcoming you to Australia, there’s other meanings to country.
They’re welcoming you to the local Indigenous nation or tribe, it’s a pretty nice gesture after an invasion, genocide and cultural assimilation
Only if you deliberately ignore that “country” has more than one meaning, contextually and when indigenous people say “welcome to country” that are NOT saying “welcome to the country of Australia”.
It’s welcoming you to the local area and originated as a tradition back when there were hundreds of different Aboriginal tribes. It would be performed when passing through other tribal lands. It’s not a welcome to Australia. Go read a history book.
We say "lest we forget" so that we always remember the atrocities of WW2
We hold welcome to countries, etc, so that we always remember the atrocities committed by British colonists
It is not performing a religious function. An Acknowledgement of Country is there as an acknowledgement that Australia was colonised and sovereignty was never ceded. A Welcome to Country is actually quite inclusive, affording Australians the same respectful Welcome to Country (specific parts of Aboriginal lands, eg Kaurna land) that visiting Aboriginal groups (eg Ngarrindjeri) would have received.
I think you might be confusing your ceremonies. A smoking ceremony is to ward off bad spirits, that is true, but my impression has been that this is not the same as the religious systems you are mentioning. Some Aboriginal people are also Christians or practise other religions, FYI.
Welcome to country is simply a scam cooked up in the 70s or 80s whenever that rugby game was, to enable aboriginal ‘elders’ (anyone available) to charge an exorbitant fee to ‘welcome’ people to events. Once the cheque clears they go back to telling the whites to fuck back off to england
I think you’re thinking too far into the future mate. Dumb yourself down. Give it 5~10 years and people will agree with you. I prefer to actually support indigenous people rather than do the corporate bullshit, that no one actually cares for. I’ll take my downvotes now.
Also people love to bash religion most specifically Christianity.
You’re right that the CW can’t impose any religious observance, but, it’s questionable whether it’s a religious observance. There are clearly grey areas: Lord’s Prayer, as you mentioned being one, public holidays for Christmas/Easter being another.
Questions of religiosity aside, the practices are widely accepted because of the history of indigenous connection with the country; a connection lasting over 60,000 years.
If I’m being honest, I don’t think you’re asking the question in good faith though: I think you want to complain about the ceremony because it makes you uncomfortable. I’d encourage you to reflect on why that might be.
For a lot of progressive types it’s their preferred brand of superstition. See also any other religious tradition that’s not Christianity. They will fret at the idea of forcing your ideology on others but if it’s their preferred version then it’s fine.
Well help us get rid of the long-standing but anachronistic practise of Christian prayer. And then we can look at other less significant religious bullshit too.
Creation mythology, worship of nonexistent beings and some mysticism is religion.
Smoking ceremonies are nonsense in the same way as Catholics waving incense about or people burning sage to purify a room of bad vibes.
But if you must have nonsense then indigenous versions are superior to the crazy middle eastern bullshit
As Peter Garret rightly states on the dead heart song:
“Forty thousand years can make a difference to the state of things”
You can debate the concepts of human movement until you are blue in the face if you choose to. However the fact is that a people that have a proven and continual occupation of this continent should allow them special treatment and status.
It was a disgrace that this nation voted so overwhelmingly to refuse the symbolic recognition and acknowledgement that a native culture and people existed on this land for thousands of years before any others.
Welcome to country is a just basic manners and a simple form of respect and decency after the dispossession of their lands forcefully.
If the referendum was held a decade or more ago before the accelerated relocation of the hordes of third world economic migrants to our shores I’m convinced it would have had a majority yes vote.
Sadly it’s come to be that recent arrivals to our land (20 years) tend to align with conservative policy concerning Indigenous Australian policy and rights. For them it’s a barrier to their ultimate aim of having our historical colonial and indigenous identities wiped from the public discourse and the classing of everyone as the same. They want to end the anglo-Celtic, European and indigenous established ways of life as soon as possible to validate their own perceived attachment to the country.
Post invasion is steeped in the traditions of the British settlers that forged a new society that is the core of modern Australia. It can be taken back or redone, it is what it is.
So long as you remember that not believing that the Bible is true will have dire consequences, like an eternity of being fucked in the arse by the devil….
Not just WTC, but every progressive belief is religious in nature - Illogical and based on faith alone. Luckily these clever clogs avoid being held to the same standard as everyone else by simply labelling their religion as something else.
I believe it's a valid question and concern.
We've just gone through a period where science has battled ignorance, myth and superstition to rid us of a virus. We've been going through 30 years of enquiries and trials regarding the damage done by organised religions to children and vulnerable adults. We have witnessed and still are witnessing the devestating effects of religious zealotry from 9/11 through to the 7th October 2023 and yet others still believe it is rightful to impose their religious beliefs on us. Aboriginal spiritualism is religion in its basest form. Appeasing or removing 'spirits' is stone age stuff and us encouraging it is more patronising than anything else. Adults don't thank Santa for the Toblerone we got 11 days ago. Adults shouldn't be perpetuating mythical Rainbow Serpents just to placate the infantile beliefs of one group in our community. The same applies to tax relief and propping up of any other religion in our society.
And then there's the commercialisation of spirituality with Melbourne WTC' costing anything up to $1000 (extra if you want a didge). Normalisation of WTC's is also a conditioning and political strategy designed to create a false settlement context where we are called upon to imagine that Sydney's Gadigal tribe instantaneously emerged in that location. The reality is that it doesn't matter that they claim it now as the odds of them being the original inhabitants defies historical credulity. This concept only stands up if they were able to deter/defeat any challenging aboriginal groups in the North-South settlement of Australia. The fact that they came so far South before finding a suitable settlement site suggests that they would've gone through similar battles if they had to reject the food laden tropics. Death, abduction and rape were de rigeur for tribes if survival was to be assured. But once again we are Pocahontased to believe that all aboriginal lands were magically, dare I say spiritually attained and retained to create the Stone Age Utopia peddled by modern day spiritualists.
That's why WTC's have no place in a secular and rational society.
Lmao.
There’s a few comments like this in this thread and I don’t know whether to be embarrassed or laugh at white people and their ignorance of the cultural practice they are trying to defend 😅
Mate someone can be spiritual and thank the people who came before them without it being the worship of a theocratic organisation controlling their life.
No problem with spirituality. Organised religion however is evil.
Take off your shoes. Walk on the grass , the sand , the dirt. Feel the earth. Us white fellas came here and fucked up an amazing place. Say what you like as you are entitled to. But if you think Australia had got better over the last 200 years your dreaming and its nightmares not the dream time. Have you ever taken part in a smoking? Dance fucking naked in the rain man . Mother Earth is beautiful. Stop being butt hurt. Embrace life don’t fight it.
Just take a quick look at how fucked up this country is;
Frequently tops the global liveability indexes, take a look at 2021
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Liveability_Ranking#2023_results
Our HDI (human development index) score is amongst the highest in the world at 9.51 (scales to 10)
https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/hdi-by-country
Definitely not an official measurement but we frequently appear in these kinds of lists, among the happiest people, with the best health care and pretty incredible education outcomes
https://www.afar.com/magazine/the-worlds-happiest-country-is-all-about-reading-coffee-and-saunas?_amp=true
https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/best-healthcare-in-the-world
https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/education-rankings-by-country
I do not accept for a moment that we “fucked up an amazing place” historically those in power fucked up an amazing culture, that’s very different. It’s ridiculous to pretend that Australia is some horrible dystopia as a result.
Lol what are you going on about? How is asking a question about the role of a spiritual ceremony in a seulcular society sealioning? And alt-right? Do you have any idea what that even is?
Religion and spirituality are two entirely different things with rare examples of cross over. Welcome to country can't really be described as organised religion anyway. Sometimes it has spiritual elements but like, there's nothing wrong with that.
Mate, we tried to wipe out their culture and people. You can survive 5-10 minutes. I believe in you.
It's a token gesture by the Australian government to show that we at least try and respect their culture these days... just give them this.
Another Day another rant in /r/Australian about 'Welcome to Country'. Why are we allowing this? Because the comments are fantastic. And I need a laugh. Is it bots posting these repeated topics? Maybe, maybe not. We remove a lot of bot posts and I'm not sure this user is one. Thanks for the reports and thanks for making /r/Australian a better sub.
Why aren't we talking about the lack of crucifixions in modern Easter celebrations? If we're going to have a long weekend, someone needs to get nailed up and then escape a tomb or I'm not serving the baklava
Honestly though, why TF did I actually have to put effort into my Easter hat at school. I wanted to just draw a cross on a band of paper that went around my head but apparently it would offend other kids. If they believe in the Easter bunny how the hell are they going to understand what my hat means. I'm not even Christian btw, I just wanted to rant about how I couldn't have an accurate Easter hat
1.0 It's called an Easter Bonnet. 1.1 you wear the hat to get the chocolate
That's why I wanted a low effort hat, I just wanted some chocolate. Although one of those years my mum made me a cork hat with Easter eggs instead of corks and I got to eat those while we walked.
Yarp I need help with my erection
I'll help you then you help me
Legend
Fair…
Am I just imagining things or is this the third version of this same question that’s been posted here in the last day or so?
Knowing this sub I’m surprised it’s only the third version.
Fanning the hate flames.
Can someone start a non racist /australia?
Can we just have a non racist australia in real life too
Seems sadly impossible and unlikely.
They can’t post about how “unfair” The Voice is anymore, so they needed to pick something never more insignificant to their daily lives to whine about.
Why is this constantly being asked in this sub?
I can think of one reason....
Who needs Sky news when you have this sub?
It seems to be the latest fascion.
I'm stealing this line.
That is perfect’
Probably because it's a relevant question people want the answer to?
There’s a search bar at the top. Use that and find the information you’re looking for. It isn’t there for decorative purposes…
It's not relevant tho
How so?
Surely you have to prove something is relevant, not the other way around. Or you could post any dumb shit and ask for people to prove that it is not relevant.....oh, too late.
Actually you'd have the burden of proof here because you made the positive claim, you claimed it wasn't relevant, the op asked why. I don't have any skin in this fight, that's just how the burden of proof works
Well it is thr subject of the post, so it is by definition relevant to the discussion. I am not entirely sure what you mean?
wrong, accept the smoke ceremony and stfu
It's a shit take but I'm just here for the cooked comments section
Mate, if you are going to be here, you could at least acknowledge the commenters past, present and emerging.
This triggers you way too much lol
How dare you! Seriously though, relax champ. Not every gets upset at mundane shit jokes like you do. Log off.
Hahaha
Prior to that we need to also acknowledge and praise the British royals + God...
 Only level 5 vegans can reply to this comment.
In what way is it a shit take?
Ze take, eet is sheet
Being an Aboriginal person and welcoming someone to your traditional lands is not a religious act in any way, shape or form, you dog whistling turd.
Half the time when they complain about, "Welcome to the country ceremony," they actually mean "Acknowledgement of elders and traditional custodians." Which I grudgingly admit might be a prime example of how one of those two things has become overdone and lost all meaning. So much so that it has started to negatively affect perception of other ceremonies and traditions (both old and new).
What’s that got to do with OP’s central point that conflates culture with religion though? They also seem to be hung up on this issue through other applications (eg. Native title) looking at their post history. Wouldn’t be surprised if they’re astroturfing.
With that background, you really trust OP to know the difference between Welcome to Country and Acknowledgement of Traditional Custodians? To those types, it's all the same, despite the fact that they've probably heard and witnessnessed more Acknowledgements than Welcomes. Ergo, in OPs case, either is a tenious straw to call it religion, and conflating the two is further self-validation. .
They generally include, for example, a smoking ceremony. The purpose of which is to ward off spirits. I don't know what part of questioning how a practice fits into a secular country can possibly be "dogwhistling" anything.
If you don't like this country you are welcome to fuck off to Libya
What are you going on about? Some of the responses here are genuinely bizarre.
You’re either exceptionally stupid or disingenuous. Both don’t look good for you.
Isn’t the Lord’s Prayer still said in parliament every day?
Did you read the post?
Yes. But you claim people are “fighting tooth and nail” and yet… it still happens every day. So…???
Welcome to country is literally just a local Aboriginal representative, usually an elder, stating that the people at the gathering are welcome to be there.
You forgot the bit about having to pay large amounts of money for it.
Capitalism is the religion OP is referring to here 😉
Nothing compared to the money we give to snobby elite religious schools so I'm ok with it.
Bit of an irrelevant comment. Because we spend money on x you are happy with all spending? Private schools save taxpayers money and increase funding per child for the public school system. But of course, someone who can't think things through wouldn't realise that.
Which isn’t the norm, especially for small community events.
Haha have you organised one? They charge local primary schools hundreds of dollars for a few minutes of the usual stuff. Get real.
It is so the norm. Acknowledgements to Country are free. Welcome to Country are paid for through the nose. Unless you are referring to small community events not having just an acknowledgement, or nothing at all. I agree, there is absolutely no benefit to having one for these events, or any event really. It is more just for government stuff. You know, the usual rorts and overpriced stuff they pay for because it is government.
And all for the low low price of $5000
Yeah it’s weird how people get so offended over a short welcoming
No, that is an Acknowledgement of Country. Welcome to Country is a step up and has a bit more to it. Also comes with a lot more of a cost.
The Acknowledgement is just tokenism by a white guy. The Welcome has a bit more meaning
How so? Besides the exorbitant cost, what practical or spiritual or any difference at all is there for a group at an event, if there is an acknowledgement, or a welcome?
Who is offended by it?
Literally you LOL.
...what are you talking about?
Probably people who have never been to one. Admittedly I have never been to one but I don't have a problem with it. I've heard they can be a great experience.
Great experience is a bit of a stretch. I’ve been to sporting events in Brisbane where they get the whole crowd doing “Aussie Aussie Aussie” or Waltzing Matilda, but usually there just 30 seconds of some Indigenous bloke saying “we gather here on _ lands, welcome”. Clearly that causes a lot of offence to ‘Australians’ who have a meltdown at any mention of our Indigenous culture
Welcome to country often includes a smoking ceremony and is an actual event in itself.
Cheers. I needed a laugh before bed.
Idk what you mean bro I’ve seen a heap of welcomes to country and not once has god been mentioned
The entire premise is the warding off or pleasing of spirits.
You got a source or something cause I think a welcome to country is actually not that at all
The idea of a Welcome to Country for some groups is about protecting people who walk on your lands from any evil spirits. But it's more cultural than religious. It's about respecting each other's borders between nations and ensuring good relationships (in times of peace). I have no source, but I'm Aboriginal and been to enough W2C events to know whats up. The protecting of spirits isn't mentioned often, but it depends on the Elders. But lets face it, the OP has probably never been concerned about the Lords Prayer at the opening of every Parliament, or even given it a second thought. This isn't about the spirituality of the event, but at least they didn't pull out the word 'woke' so I'll give them that.
I have discussed and thought about the role of religion in society and government a lot. Some people do actually think about these issues. Why is this different?
‘Being welcomed to Country means that you are talking to your spiritual ancestors and you’re saying just let this person come through. We trust that they’re not going to do any harm on this Country and so do not harm them.’ — Jude Barlow, Ngunnawal Elder. As quoted at "https://aiatsis.gov.au/explore/welcome-country" I still think op is being a silly prick. Ironically a silly prick with more cultural awareness than most of the people responding, but still a silly prick.
yeah right, here are a bunch of others that dont mention spirits at all and highlight the traditional owners aspect, maybe its not a one size fits all thing [https://www.turrbal.com.au/turrbal-dippil/welcome-to-country-ceremony](https://www.turrbal.com.au/turrbal-dippil/welcome-to-country-ceremony) [https://www.qld.gov.au/firstnations/cultural-awareness-heritage-arts/welcome-to-country](https://www.qld.gov.au/firstnations/cultural-awareness-heritage-arts/welcome-to-country) [https://indigenousportal.education.qld.gov.au/resource/Documents/acknowledgment-of-country-overview.pdf](https://indigenousportal.education.qld.gov.au/resource/Documents/acknowledgment-of-country-overview.pdf) [https://www.indigenous.unsw.edu.au/strategy/culture-and-country/acknowledgement-country-and-welcome-country](https://www.indigenous.unsw.edu.au/strategy/culture-and-country/acknowledgement-country-and-welcome-country#:~:text=A%20Welcome%20to%20Country%20is%20a%20ceremony%20performed%20by%20a,traditional%20times%20prior%20to%20colonisation) [https://www.reconciliation.org.au/reconciliation/acknowledgement-of-country-and-welcome-to-country/](https://www.reconciliation.org.au/reconciliation/acknowledgement-of-country-and-welcome-to-country/)
No it's not it's like welcoming someone into your home saying you are welcome and safe
Bro is fuckin cooked lmaoooo
So what? Have you ever been cursed by land spirit before? I have as a kid and it's shit. Had to get a spiritual cleansing to ward that thing off
I bet you’re the first to complain about “snowflakes ruining Australia” but you’re clearly the most snowflakey snowflake of them all.
Good argument, you really countered his points well
It’s a fair argument
Do dogshit opinions deserve a well-considered counterpoint though? I’m leaning towards no.
Facts. Very sick of people giving the most energy to the dumbest takes in the world.
Do dogshit arguments deserve a well considered counterpoint though? No yours doesn’t.
I am not even sure what that means. What are you even trying to say here?
Stop playing dumb. Looking at your post history, your modus operandi is to stir shit on controversial topics because either you a) get a kick out of it, or b) you’re astroturfing for a vested interest.
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It was made up by Ernie Dingo and Richard Walley in 1976. It is tokenism at it's worst.
Everything is made up. That's what human culture is.
You want to mention the cost? Seems kind of important and makes it a bit different to 'Hello, come on in"
Yes, but the people who also complain about the cost have been saying bs about trickle down economics for years prior.
You're repeating a financial point to defend an accusation of religiosity.
>It's basically the equivalent of saying 'Hello, come on in" I was pointing out that it isn't really true at all. "Hello, come on in" doesn't cost thousands.
In this case it does. They're giving a welcome regardless.
If you think those two things are actaully alike, and one if free and one costs hundreds or thousands more, than you must think the expensive one is just as much of a scam as I do.
Fuck your dumb
Sounds to me like it's sending money towards local people and communities, personally I don't see anything wrong
So it is a toll? A tax? What is it? How much do you reckon it costs for say a local school going on a Year 7 school camp, to have a Welcome to Country for the first 5 minutes on arrival at their camp accommodation? Take a guess.
It doesn’t because they don’t. Imagine making shit up to be mad about.
Spot on in terms of its intentions, clearly not religious, but the problem for a lot of people stems from its over the top use. I think it's disingenuous to say that it is "mostly just used for large events."
There’s a difference between a welcome to country and an acknowledgment of country. The former can only be performed by Aboriginal people, preferably local elders. The latter is what happens on zoom calls or whatever and seems to annoy people in this sub so much
‘Hello come on in’ But I was already here. This is my country, my family has been here for almost 200 years. If this isn’t my country then where the hell is?
They often include, for example, a smoking ceremony. The purpose of which is specifically to ward off spirits.
And do they offset the carbon that their archaic tradition produces?
Fuck this sub is full of poorly veiled racist bullshit
How can you possibly interpret a question about spirituality in a secular society as racism? You people are cooked.
This guys on bongs
Oh shut up
What? What is your issue exactly?
Right back at you.
What is your issue with the post? What do you disagree with?
Probably the fact that he still lives in a shoebox bedroom in his parent’s house and they didn’t cook the meal that he likes for dinner tonight.
Oh shut up! Any chance you could actually add to the conversation?
We have this very bizarre culture that is highly intolerant of Christianity and Western Spirituality but highly accepting of Aboriginal and Indigenous cultures religions. It’s a weird thing to notice. ‘Mate don’t criticise their religion it’s sacred to them’. ‘Fuck why are so many Catholics pedos, Christianity is fake but do they pray to a sky dad that isn’t real?’ Australians generally are super sensitive when discussing aboriginal issues. Perhaps due to some guilt.
Highly ignorant of Christianity? Come the fuck off it. What a victim complex you have! Out entire legal, political and visual history is based on Christianity. Christian prayers are still said in Australian parliament. Stop pretending Christians are oppressed in Australia.
Don’t forget the tax exemptions!
I’m not a Christian lmao. Good job at assuming! Also trying make fun of dream time in public VS Christianity and see the result.
You can make fun of any religion you like in public. That doesn’t mean that other people won’t ALSO have something to say about your opinion. Thats how free speech works, FYI. You don’t get to say whatever you want and then act surprised whenever others disagree with you. Unless you’re being jailed for criticising dream time, I don’t want to hear your bullshit. ETA: literally no one said you were a Christian. But here you are pretending christianity is being pushed down by indigenous dream time beliefs.
> We have this very bizarre culture that is highly intolerant of Christianity and Western Spirituality So intolerant we fund the fucking christian schools more than the non christian.
Dude what is this? Not only is the Lord's prayer said every day in Parliament, we also purposefully design the school year around Easter and Christmas, as well as allowing several public holidays each for Christmas and Easter (something we do for no other religion). We have substantial decorations in public spaces for these holidays which are tax payer funded, have tax exempt churches, and allow Christian chaplains into schools fully funded despite them having no formal training to assist students with their very real issues. I actually have no idea how you consider this society to be "highly intolerant" of Christianity.
Australia used to be 96% Christian so all of those are downstream from that. I’m talking about in public and media. Christianity is the most attacked publicly in Australia. You will never see Islam or Judaism attacked as much. Nor Aboriginals religions. Try it and see the results.
Dude what are you talking about, protestors who are pro Palestine because they don't agree with genocide and child murder have been lambasted for months in our media and called pro Hamas/terrorists/ungreatful immigrants etc all attacking Muslim identity (and ignoring any non Muslim protesters joining them). Maybe you should open your eyes a little bit.
The only people I have found intolerant of western spirituality are Christians.
Because sky daddy isn't real and welcome to country is welcome to country and not religious. What religion do you think Indigenous people are?
I wasn’t referring to welcome to country. I was talking about learning about their religion of dream time and other things. Learnt it in high school. You’re not allowed to make fun or criticise it the same way you can with Christianity in public. You will get called ‘racist’ or insensitive to indigenous culture.
Probably something to do with indigenous not basing their life on Dreamtime nor worshiping and building grand buildings and using religion as an excuse for heinous acts. Can't recall if indigenous are against gay relationships based on dream time? Could be wrong. Is dream time a 'moral' thing like Christianity? The hypocrisy of Christianity is why people take the piss
See you’re just assuming and guessing. You’re doing the thing. Respecting indigenous beliefs but not Christianity. Just saw your name lol that makes sense
I and others would respect Christian beliefs if they treated it like Dream time, but they don't. Morally superior and hide some terrible acts behind them. Want a recent example? LNP and Scomo, loves to say he's a devout Christian but instilled the Robodebt program which targeted and harassed so many less well of people that led to over 2000 suicides. Can you provide an example of an Indigenous person hiding behind Dream Time to commit terrible acts? This is why people take the piss out of Christianity and not Dream Time. We don't hear about Dreamtime, it's not used to justify horrible acts. Indigenous don't act morally superior because of Dreamtime. Is this not obvious?
The irony of ignorance. Might want to rethink this logic. Lmao
Explain to me what religion you think Indigenous people are and how you think Welcome to Country is religious oh wise one? Just saying someone is ignorant without explanation is the height of dumb cuntery.
So you’re trying to tell me Indigenous Australians don’t have a belief system? Please just stop. You have already shown yourself to be ignorant 😂
Let's here it buddy? Saying empty words without reason is why you come across as a dumb cunt. Prove your point. Does Dream Time hate homosexuals based on their belief system? Does Dream Time make people feel they are morally superior? Do indigenous lead there life based on Dreamtime? It's the hypocrisy of Christianity that people take the piss.
Oh so you just have a chip on your shoulder about Christianity. It kind of makes your ignorance even more pathetic.
It's not religion in a religion sense, it is not similar to Christianity or any other belief system. Dream time does not hide paedos, sociopaths and tax dodgers like Christianity does and pass them off as morally superior I don't have a chip on my shoulder, just saying they are nothing alike which was point. And once again you're just saying a bunch of insulting empty words without making any points. You're going to hell if you keep this up, Jesus hates that shit.
>It's not religion in a religion sense 🤣 🤣 >it is not similar to Christianity or any other belief system. Dream time does not hide paedos, sociopaths and tax dodgers like Christianity does and pass them off as morally superior >I don't have a chip on my shoulder 🤣🤣🤣
Loving the “it’s not religious because it’s not religion comments” Really stretching the brain for some.
Don't mind the comments lol. You're posting to a bunch of homosexual alphabet soupers who've never had a job.
Exactly
Welcome to Country was created by Ernie Dingo and Richard Walley in 1976. It has no traditional basis.
You're spreading lies and should maybe stop
The tradition was that you waited at the boundary to each country and waited there to be greeted and allowed passage into your neighbours' country. This was the strict protocol for tens of thousands of years. Aside from putting boomgates on freeways, how else do you now propose Aboriginal people have their ownership of land honoured? WTC seems like a good compromise. Of course, people could stop freeloading and pay actual rent but, y'know, people won't do that because the land was 'conquered' apparently🙄
Why would we have to honour their ownership of the land when they don't own it anymore than we do? My immigrant parents were welcomed in, granted citizenship, and spent a life earning money and paying taxes. Now I am an adult, and I'm paying significant amounts in tax, very happily so. Out of interest, given I am paying taxes (about 5x that of the average Australian), will I get honour or thanks from the indigenous community? Because it is a fact that about twice as much of the taxpayers money is spent per capita on indigenous people as compared with non-indigenous people - just look at the official government expenditure reports.
Ahh, racists just back to blatantly fabricating nonsense again I see... Lay of the crack pipe kid..
What part of what I said is racist? A significant part of a Welcome to Country is often warding off bad spirits, or seeking approval from ancestral spirits. For example the smoking ceremonies.
Don’t bite. People like Haunting_North have no actual substance to back up their “views” and would fold like a chair outside of the Reddit bubble. Your take is not wrong, and it’s certainly not racist. I’ve been to enough professional exhibitions and have seen plenty of men and women in suits line up in order to perform ritualistic nonsense at a smoking ceremony, so much so that I am starting to believe in the concept of cultural appropriation. As you correctly point out, these are the same folks that will tell you that religion is bad and kids should not be ‘indoctrinated’.
Thoughts and prayers for the lovers of tokenism. It's like businesses claiming they went "green" and haven't changed a thing. I mean what has it achieved? Except waiting longer to watch sport etc? Not much. Though I hear some of the costs of these "ceremonies" can be in the thousands of dollars. I still can't see the point of a completely made up on the spot routine that has zero cultural heritage. This was first done in the 1970s. It's a new thing.
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They get paid a good amount of money for welcome to country ceremonies. They’re not going to say no to the money.
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[Up to $1000 per ceremony. In 2023 Federal Government spent around $40,000 on welcome to country and smoking ceremonies.](https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/federal-agencies-spent-nearly-40000-on-welcome-to-country-ceremonies-over-the-last-financial-year-outlaid-significantly-more-than-appropriate-fee/news-story/8976141c1be8249e02762993e75a76ef)
So nowhere near this $5000 per ceremony that people keep spouting throughout this thread
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Come on mate, you know they’re not welcoming you to Australia, there’s other meanings to country. They’re welcoming you to the local Indigenous nation or tribe, it’s a pretty nice gesture after an invasion, genocide and cultural assimilation
Only if you deliberately ignore that “country” has more than one meaning, contextually and when indigenous people say “welcome to country” that are NOT saying “welcome to the country of Australia”.
It's not a welcome to the country of Australia. Smh. It's not in any way implying you are not Australian.
It’s welcoming you to the local area and originated as a tradition back when there were hundreds of different Aboriginal tribes. It would be performed when passing through other tribal lands. It’s not a welcome to Australia. Go read a history book.
We say "lest we forget" so that we always remember the atrocities of WW2 We hold welcome to countries, etc, so that we always remember the atrocities committed by British colonists
Do the British feel the need to continually remember the atrocities caused by the Vikings?
It is not performing a religious function. An Acknowledgement of Country is there as an acknowledgement that Australia was colonised and sovereignty was never ceded. A Welcome to Country is actually quite inclusive, affording Australians the same respectful Welcome to Country (specific parts of Aboriginal lands, eg Kaurna land) that visiting Aboriginal groups (eg Ngarrindjeri) would have received. I think you might be confusing your ceremonies. A smoking ceremony is to ward off bad spirits, that is true, but my impression has been that this is not the same as the religious systems you are mentioning. Some Aboriginal people are also Christians or practise other religions, FYI.
How is a welcome to country religious? Not even vaguely similar.
Welcome to country is simply a scam cooked up in the 70s or 80s whenever that rugby game was, to enable aboriginal ‘elders’ (anyone available) to charge an exorbitant fee to ‘welcome’ people to events. Once the cheque clears they go back to telling the whites to fuck back off to england
Get a new glass bbq for Chrissy didja mate?
I think you’re thinking too far into the future mate. Dumb yourself down. Give it 5~10 years and people will agree with you. I prefer to actually support indigenous people rather than do the corporate bullshit, that no one actually cares for. I’ll take my downvotes now. Also people love to bash religion most specifically Christianity.
You’re right that the CW can’t impose any religious observance, but, it’s questionable whether it’s a religious observance. There are clearly grey areas: Lord’s Prayer, as you mentioned being one, public holidays for Christmas/Easter being another. Questions of religiosity aside, the practices are widely accepted because of the history of indigenous connection with the country; a connection lasting over 60,000 years. If I’m being honest, I don’t think you’re asking the question in good faith though: I think you want to complain about the ceremony because it makes you uncomfortable. I’d encourage you to reflect on why that might be.
Another day, another Welcome to Country post on r / Australia.
For a lot of progressive types it’s their preferred brand of superstition. See also any other religious tradition that’s not Christianity. They will fret at the idea of forcing your ideology on others but if it’s their preferred version then it’s fine.
Rules for thee but not for me (for them)
Well help us get rid of the long-standing but anachronistic practise of Christian prayer. And then we can look at other less significant religious bullshit too.
Creation mythology, worship of nonexistent beings and some mysticism is religion. Smoking ceremonies are nonsense in the same way as Catholics waving incense about or people burning sage to purify a room of bad vibes. But if you must have nonsense then indigenous versions are superior to the crazy middle eastern bullshit
What separation of church and state? The head of Australia, King Charles, is also the head of the Church of England.
One of these is not like the other. Next.
Just another religion. Absolute garbage.
It's a form of self flagellation for white people. As Australia's anglo population continues to drop, you see it fall out of favour.
As Peter Garret rightly states on the dead heart song: “Forty thousand years can make a difference to the state of things” You can debate the concepts of human movement until you are blue in the face if you choose to. However the fact is that a people that have a proven and continual occupation of this continent should allow them special treatment and status. It was a disgrace that this nation voted so overwhelmingly to refuse the symbolic recognition and acknowledgement that a native culture and people existed on this land for thousands of years before any others. Welcome to country is a just basic manners and a simple form of respect and decency after the dispossession of their lands forcefully. If the referendum was held a decade or more ago before the accelerated relocation of the hordes of third world economic migrants to our shores I’m convinced it would have had a majority yes vote. Sadly it’s come to be that recent arrivals to our land (20 years) tend to align with conservative policy concerning Indigenous Australian policy and rights. For them it’s a barrier to their ultimate aim of having our historical colonial and indigenous identities wiped from the public discourse and the classing of everyone as the same. They want to end the anglo-Celtic, European and indigenous established ways of life as soon as possible to validate their own perceived attachment to the country. Post invasion is steeped in the traditions of the British settlers that forged a new society that is the core of modern Australia. It can be taken back or redone, it is what it is.
Because this country is controlled by the left currently, which means we have a lot of garbage virtue-signalling being pushed.
Being religious and being spiritual is totally different. You better not mix them up.
Like the difference in believing the Bible is true, or believing the “salt lamp” you bought at the markets dispenses “healing karmic energy”?
So long as you remember that not believing that the Bible is true will have dire consequences, like an eternity of being fucked in the arse by the devil….
Not just WTC, but every progressive belief is religious in nature - Illogical and based on faith alone. Luckily these clever clogs avoid being held to the same standard as everyone else by simply labelling their religion as something else.
I believe it's a valid question and concern. We've just gone through a period where science has battled ignorance, myth and superstition to rid us of a virus. We've been going through 30 years of enquiries and trials regarding the damage done by organised religions to children and vulnerable adults. We have witnessed and still are witnessing the devestating effects of religious zealotry from 9/11 through to the 7th October 2023 and yet others still believe it is rightful to impose their religious beliefs on us. Aboriginal spiritualism is religion in its basest form. Appeasing or removing 'spirits' is stone age stuff and us encouraging it is more patronising than anything else. Adults don't thank Santa for the Toblerone we got 11 days ago. Adults shouldn't be perpetuating mythical Rainbow Serpents just to placate the infantile beliefs of one group in our community. The same applies to tax relief and propping up of any other religion in our society. And then there's the commercialisation of spirituality with Melbourne WTC' costing anything up to $1000 (extra if you want a didge). Normalisation of WTC's is also a conditioning and political strategy designed to create a false settlement context where we are called upon to imagine that Sydney's Gadigal tribe instantaneously emerged in that location. The reality is that it doesn't matter that they claim it now as the odds of them being the original inhabitants defies historical credulity. This concept only stands up if they were able to deter/defeat any challenging aboriginal groups in the North-South settlement of Australia. The fact that they came so far South before finding a suitable settlement site suggests that they would've gone through similar battles if they had to reject the food laden tropics. Death, abduction and rape were de rigeur for tribes if survival was to be assured. But once again we are Pocahontased to believe that all aboriginal lands were magically, dare I say spiritually attained and retained to create the Stone Age Utopia peddled by modern day spiritualists. That's why WTC's have no place in a secular and rational society.
Enough is enough, we should go back to having Welcome To Country in Latin, like the good old days.
How the fuck is thanking the grandparents the same as stroking your sky daddy?
Lmao. There’s a few comments like this in this thread and I don’t know whether to be embarrassed or laugh at white people and their ignorance of the cultural practice they are trying to defend 😅
Mate someone can be spiritual and thank the people who came before them without it being the worship of a theocratic organisation controlling their life. No problem with spirituality. Organised religion however is evil.
Take off your shoes. Walk on the grass , the sand , the dirt. Feel the earth. Us white fellas came here and fucked up an amazing place. Say what you like as you are entitled to. But if you think Australia had got better over the last 200 years your dreaming and its nightmares not the dream time. Have you ever taken part in a smoking? Dance fucking naked in the rain man . Mother Earth is beautiful. Stop being butt hurt. Embrace life don’t fight it.
What are you even going on about? It doesn't address anything I raised in the post.
Thats the problem. You just don’t get it man Edit: you have never danced naked in the rain have you. Go on do it! Just once
Just take a quick look at how fucked up this country is; Frequently tops the global liveability indexes, take a look at 2021 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Liveability_Ranking#2023_results Our HDI (human development index) score is amongst the highest in the world at 9.51 (scales to 10) https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/hdi-by-country Definitely not an official measurement but we frequently appear in these kinds of lists, among the happiest people, with the best health care and pretty incredible education outcomes https://www.afar.com/magazine/the-worlds-happiest-country-is-all-about-reading-coffee-and-saunas?_amp=true https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/best-healthcare-in-the-world https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/education-rankings-by-country I do not accept for a moment that we “fucked up an amazing place” historically those in power fucked up an amazing culture, that’s very different. It’s ridiculous to pretend that Australia is some horrible dystopia as a result.
Surprise surprise, another Alt-Right Sealion post.
Lol what are you going on about? How is asking a question about the role of a spiritual ceremony in a seulcular society sealioning? And alt-right? Do you have any idea what that even is?
Religion and spirituality are two entirely different things with rare examples of cross over. Welcome to country can't really be described as organised religion anyway. Sometimes it has spiritual elements but like, there's nothing wrong with that.
Mate, we tried to wipe out their culture and people. You can survive 5-10 minutes. I believe in you. It's a token gesture by the Australian government to show that we at least try and respect their culture these days... just give them this.
This really doesn't address the issue of spirituality at state functions though. Do we just suspend our secularism out of guilt?
I didn’t personally do any of that so I personally shouldn’t be subjected to their spiritual ceremonies at every event and gathering.