Tag: aboriginal culture

Journeying together to Acknowledge Country and People

Coolamon Landcare co-created an Acknowledgment of Country

Coolamon Landcare co-created an Acknowledgment of Country Reflecting their genuine connection and respect for First Nations People and culture.

Landcare groups often find themselves uncertain about how to approach an Acknowledgment of Country. Many worry that without a deep understanding of First Nations Culture, their Acknowledgment might feel tokenistic or just a formality. This was a concern for Coolamon Landcare. They didn’t want their Acknowledgment to be just a statement , they wanted it to be a genuine expression of respect and connection to both Country and the First Nations community.

To address this, we organised three workshops to guide the group through the process. The first session, which I facilitated as the Local Landcare Coordinator, focused on introducing key cultural terms and explaining the significance of an Acknowledgment of Country. We discussed what “Country” means in a First Nations context, why it’s written with a capital “C”, and how it represents more than just land, it’s part of First Nations belief systems, community, and identity.

With this foundational understanding, we moved on to the second workshop, where I worked alongside our Aboriginal Landcare Officer, Nioka Dupond. This session began with something special, a walk on Country. It wasn’t just a walk, though. It was a chance for everyone to connect with the land, with themselves, and to experience how First Nations
People live, both in the past and present. As we walked, we spoke about the traditional roles in their community, ecologists, bakers, hydrologists, and toolmakers. It was grounding and purposeful.

Journeying together to Acknowledge Country and People: Coolamon Landcare Group

Once we were back indoors, Nioka led us deeper into the emotional and cultural weight behind the Acknowledgment. The group engaged in a process where they chose words that resonated with them, slowly crafting an Acknowledgment that felt personal and sincere. By the end of the session, we had the foundation of something truly meaningful.
Before finalising it, we gave the group some time to reflect. We scheduled a third workshop with Nioka and I to make final adjustments and ensure the Acknowledgment felt right to everyone.

These workshops did more than just create an Acknowledgment of Country, they transformed the way Coolamon Landcare members understood and related to First Nations culture. The process fostered a deeper connection to both Country and community, and by the end, the group had a personalised Acknowledgment they could be proud of. It wasn’t just words on a page; it was a reflection of their commitment to inclusion and respect.

Participants left feeling empowered, confident in their ability to speak from the heart when acknowledging First Nations people and traditions. That Acknowledgment will now be a part of all future gatherings, serving as a testament to their genuine dedication to cultural awareness.

Caring for our Cultural Heritage

Hunter Regional Landcare Workshop 2021

Information courtesy of Hunter Region Landcare

In 2021, Hunter Region Landcare began working collaboratively on a number of cultural projects and programs to help them better understand Aboriginal culture in the Hunter region past and present, and to see how they could incorporate this knowledge into their everyday Landcare operations.

By hosting workshops and field days, they found that it would provide them with practical knowledge and skills about places and artefacts of significance that may be find on Landcare sites or farm property. Topics such as how to recognise artefacts such as stone tools by participating in a stone napping activity; what to do if we do find an artefact such as a scar tree, stone tools, middens, etc; the legislation around places and objects of cultural significance were covered with all participants helping grow local knowledge about the significance.

“It was important for us to share, learn, and understand our Aboriginal cultural heritage within the Landcare community, and these workshop provided a way to get started. We had 30 participants in our first workshop field day.”

“Landcarers and farmers that we work with share a genuine interest and passion in caring for our land, rivers, sea and sky, caring for country, so already we have a shared bond with our local Aboriginal community,” says HRLN representative.

The workshop is funded under the “Working Together” Program which aims to increase opportunities to consciously develop stronger connections and partnerships between Landcare groups and Aboriginal Communities.

The “Working Together” Aboriginal Communities Engagement Program is an initiative made possible by the NSW Landcare Program. A collaboration of Local Land Services NSW and Landcare NSW Inc. supported by the NSW Government.

This story was originally published as a report via the NSW Landcare Program Website – NSW Landcare Gateway. To view click here