Have you seen a particularly compelling or moving Welcome to Country?
- On the Zac Efron show ‘Down To Earth’, Zac travelled to Australia to shoot the second season. On the first episode, Zac and his co-star had a Welcome to Country performed for them to welcome them to the land in which they were about to walk and provide them with protection from the Elders as they travelled. This Welcome to Country was incredible to see as it was extremely moving, and as it was on an international Netflix show it allows for Australian culture to be witnessed by all that watch the show.
Even if you don’t identify as FNP, you can perform an Acknowledgment of Country. Reflecting on all that has been taught to you so far, what are some key points that you’d address in your Acknowledgment?
- Alec Schmidt acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and the privilege we have to gather on this land. Alec acknowledges the Baruŋgam people and their country in Dalby where he was born and raised and respects their deep connection to the lands and surrounding waterways and pays respect to all Elders past, present and emerging. Alec cherishes the richness of First Nations Peoples’ artistic and cultural expressions.
Dempster, E. (2007). Welcome to Country: Performing Rights and the Pedagogy of Place. About Performance, No. 7, 2007: 87-97. About Performance. https://search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/informit.922711404044557
Netflix. (2022, October 20). Down to Earth with Zac Efron: Down Under | Official Trailer | Netflix. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2rlnsGWGBU
