Across Australia, early childhood educators are increasingly engaging with cultural practices such as Welcome to Country, Acknowledgement of Country and smoking ceremonies.
This is a positive shift. It tells me educators care. They want to do the right thing. But caring is not the same as understanding.
Too often, these practices are requested, witnessed, or replicated without a clear grasp of their cultural significance, protocols, or when they are appropriate. This blog is an invitation to slow down. To yarn. To deepen our knowing, so our doing holds integrity.
Acknowledgement of Country: Beyond Rote Words
An Acknowledgement of Country can happen anywhere, anytime. It is not restricted to Elders or Traditional Owners. It is something all of us can offer.
But it should never become empty words children recite without connection.
Yes, there are songs, rhymes, jingles and poems. Yes, there are beautifully written scripts online. But for me, it has always been less about what we say and more about what we do.
If children are saying:
A Pedagogy of Place
Acknowledgement becomes meaningful when it intersects with:
- Sustainability practices
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives
- A pedagogy of place
- Are children learning the local language words for plants and animals?
- Are they exploring seasonal indicators?
- Are they caring for native plants?
- Are they learning what stewardship and custodianship mean in practice?
Acknowledgement is not a performance. It is a relationship.
When we speak of “Traditional Owners”, we are referring to the Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples who have ongoing cultural authority and custodianship over the land on which we gather. Respect is not symbolic. It is relational.
Welcome to Country: When and Why
A Welcome to Country is different. A Welcome to Country can only be performed by a Traditional Owner or recognised Elder of that Country. It cannot be delivered by educators, principals, MCs, or community members who are not authorised custodians of that land.
It is offered at significant events:
- Conferences
- Major gatherings
- Openings
- Community milestones
It does not occur daily in the way an Acknowledgement can.
A Living Example in Early Childhood
Some early learning services thoughtfully incorporate a Welcome to Country into significant annual events.
For example, at Concord West Rhodes Preschool, an annual Family Welcome Picnic includes a formal Welcome to Country and smoking ceremony. This event has been embedded into the centre’s culture for nearly 30 years.
Local Elder Uncle Matthew Doyle played a pivotal role in establishing this tradition.
This year, Aunty Bernadette Hardy performed the Welcome and smoking ceremony, singing in language. Families gathered. Many attending families come from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds, and for some this was their first experience witnessing a Welcome or smoking ceremony.
It was not a performance for children. It was a community ritual. A cultural offering. An act of generosity. And that distinction matters.
Smoking Ceremonies: What They Are, and What They Are Not
A smoking ceremony is a sacred cultural practice conducted by Aboriginal people with cultural authority to do so. Traditionally, smoke from native plants is used for:
- Cleansing
- Spiritual protection
- Transitioning between spaces or states
- Marking significant gatherings
It is not:
- A “nice cultural activity”
- A craft experience for children to recreate
- A mindfulness exercise
- A theatrical display
It is not something educators replicate using incense, sage bundles or pretend materials for the sake of “demonstration”. Smoking ceremonies are relational and spiritual. They hold deep cultural knowledge and protocol. When requested for events, they should:
- Be initiated respectfully
- Be appropriately remunerated
- Occur with consent and guidance from Traditional Owners
- Never be expected or demanded
Sacred Practices Are Not Curriculum Content
This is where we must tread carefully. Not every cultural practice is meant to be recreated in early learning environments. Some knowledge is:
- Gendered
- Initiatory
- Ceremonial
- Sacred
- Context-bound
Educators do not need to demonstrate everything to teach respect. In fact, modelling restraint can be more culturally responsive than modelling replication. Children can learn:
- That some things are special.
- That some knowledge belongs to specific people.
- That cultural authority matters.
- That listening is a form of respect.
From Words to Responsibility
If we are asking children to acknowledge Country daily, we must also ask:
- In what ways are they caring for Country?
- How are they learning about local Aboriginal communities?
- Are they connected to living people — not just historical narratives?
- How are sustainability practices embedded as acts of custodianship, not just recycling routines?
Acknowledgement is strengthened when it is supported by:
- Native gardens
- Relationships with local Elders
- Participation in community events
- Learning about local histories
- Reflective programming processes
It becomes hollow when it is reduced to a script before morning tea. There is only this question:
Are we building genuine relationships with Country and Community?
When we approach Welcome to Country, Acknowledgement, and smoking ceremonies with humility, curiosity and respect, we move from tokenism to transformation.
Let’s keep yarning. Let’s keep learning. Let’s lead with integrity.
