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Aboriginal and Torres Strait

IslanderProtocols framework

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Trans la t ion: Welcome to my country, the land of the great bay of the Boon Wurrung people, our beautiful home.

Carolyn Briggs - Senior spokesperson, Yalukit Willam clan of the Boon Wurrung.

‘Womin Jeka miramBeek Beek. Boon Wurrung nairm derp Bordupren uther Willam.’

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a B o r i g i n a l a n d to r r e S S t r a i t i S l a n d e r p r oto c o l S f r a m e W o r k

as part of its reconciliation action plan (rap) 2012-15, the city of port phillip has developed an aboriginal and torres Strait islander (atSi) protocols framework for council staff to use as a guide when conducting local government business or working with atSi people.

the framework embeds council’s Statement of commitment to atSi people and assists Council officers to understand and advance the use of Welcome to country, acknowledgement of country, aboriginal Smoking, aboriginality and knowledge protocols in delivery of programs and services to the port phillip community.

S tat e m e n t o f c o m m i t m e n tin 1997, the city of port phillip made a pledge in a Statement of commitment to aboriginal and torres Strait islander people.

in 2012, as part of the development of its rap, council reconfirmed the following statement:

‘The Council of the City of Port Phillip acknowledges that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples were the first people of this land, and have survived European settlement for more than two centuries.

The City of Port Phillip values its diverse and multicultural community and encourages tolerance and respect for all.

The arrival of Europeans brought massive change to the land and to its Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

For its part, Port Phillip City Council acknowledges and grieves for the loss by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of their land, their children, their health and their lives.

We acknowledge the right of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to live according to their own values and customs, and we commit ourselves to respecting Aboriginal sacred sites and significant places.

The Council recognises the valuable contribution to the Port Phillip region made by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and looks forward to a future of mutual respect and harmony.

The Council supports the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of Australia working together for the development of a formal instrument of reconciliation.’

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large kangaroo apple or salanum laciniatum

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B a c k g r o u n dSince contact with europeans (referred to by many atSi people as ‘invasion’), atSi people have experienced extreme levels of dispossession, prejudice, and discrimination.

The development of cultural protocols reflects a commitment by the city of port phillip to understanding, respecting and representing the views of atSi people.

respect of cultural diversity is a major theme in council’s rap, and complements the organisation’s vision of ‘community first’, where residents and visitors feel welcome, included and connected to this city.

‘ t h e p e o p l e o f t h e r i v e r ’“Before the arrival of europeans in 1835, the city of port phillip area was occupied by the Yalukit Willam clan of the Boon Wurrung people. Yalukit Willam means ‘river home’ or ‘people of the river’. this is an apt description for a people whose territory was surrounded by water. the city of port phillip landscape has changed vastly since european occupation but it was once a kind of ‘temperate kakadu’ surrounded by river, sea, creeks, billabongs and lagoons. to the west and north was the encircling Yarra estuary and river. to the south was the foreshore of hobsons Bay, today linking port melbourne, St kilda and South melbourne. Between the sea and the river were a score of wetlands surrounded by dunes, heath, woodlands, salt marsh and beach, that teemed with wildfowl.” Sourced from ‘Yalukit Willam: The River People of Port Phillip’ by Meyer Eidelson, 2013

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the first meeting of councillors featured a smoking ceremony in front of friends and family

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the development of respectful relationships between all levels of government and aborigines and torres Strait islander (atSi) people is an important step in the broader social movement towards reconciliation between atSi and non-atSi australians. there are 79 local government bodies in victoria, with 32 councils implementing or developing reconciliation action plans.

aboriginal and torres Strait islander protocols

Welcome to countrY

the ‘Welcome to country’ is only given by a traditional owner - a descendant of the first people living in an area. The Traditional Owner will welcome people to their land at the beginning of a meeting, event or ceremony. this protocol is an important mark of respect for atSi peoples, and is usually reserved for major civic events such as conferences, seminars, workshops and formal meetings that include internal and external stakeholders.

acknoWledgement of countrY

the ‘acknowledgment of country’ is given by non-indigenous people or atSi people who aren’t traditional owners. at the city of port phillip the ‘acknowledgment of country’ is often provided by elected representatives (mayor or councillors) and senior officers (CEO or Management). The acknowledgment aims to show respect for the traditional owners of the land on which an event is taking place. this protocol is appropriate for meetings or gatherings of internal staff. it is courteous to supply all guest speakers with an ‘acknowledgement of country’ prompt card prior to their presentation or address. These are available through the Indigenous Policy Officer (IPO)

the following are some options for an acknowledgement of country depending on the audience

1. ‘i would like to acknowledge that we are here today on the land of the traditional owners of this land, the Yalukit Willam clan of the Boon Wurrung’. (this would be appropriate within the city of port phillip).

2. ‘i would like to begin by paying my respects to the past and present elders of the kulin nation and acknowledge their custodianship of the land on which we are meeting today.’ (this would be appropriate within greater melbourne).

3. ‘i would like to acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which we are meeting today. i would also like to acknowledge the aboriginal and torres Strait islander people who now reside within this area.’ (this would be appropriate anywhere in australia).

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WhY do We need

protocolS?

small leaf Bramble or rubus parvifolius

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uSe of Written acknoWledgement

Council publications often include the following phrase: ‘Council respectfully acknowledges the Yalukit Willam clan of the Boon Wurrung. We pay our respect to their elders, both past and present. We acknowledge and uphold their continuing relationship to this land.’ this phrase can be used at the discretion of council staff in reports, publications, strategies, or plans.

elder and traditional oWner acknoWledgement

in formal communications and speeches a traditional owner will be referred to by name and the title ‘Boon Wurrung representative’or if in a leadership capacity ‘Senior Boon Wurrung spokesperson’. aboriginal and torres Strait islander peoples in port phillip will only be referred to as ‘aunty/uncle’ upon their request.

Smoking ceremonY

a smoking ceremony is undertaken in aboriginal communities to cleanse a space. the ceremony is a purification ritual and is always undertaken by an Aboriginal person with specialised cultural knowledge.

SorrY BuSineSS

death and grieving in the atSi community is known as ‘Sorry Business’. it is a cultural and social obligation for atSi people to attend ‘Sorry Business’ for their clan, including extended family. Action 17 in the RAP states: ‘A traditional time of mourning for the atSi community - when a death occurs, funding may be available for activities and events that recognise the contribution of members of the local atSi community’. all requests for ‘Sorry Business’ assistance will be assessed by the ipo with advice sought from Senior elders. a considered recommendation for the provision of assistance must be approved by a general manager of the city of port phillip.

aBoriginalitY

While it is beneficial, as an organisation, to collect ATSI employee data, it is offensive to question the ‘amount’ of aboriginal and/or torres Strait islander ‘blood’ a person may possess. it is particularly offensive to use labels such as ‘half-caste’ or ‘quarter-caste’ as these are historical reminders of government and societal definitions of ATSI people. The City of Port Phillip follows the principles defined by the Australian Government: An Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person is someone who is:

1. of aboriginal and/or torres Strait islander descent; 2. identifies as an Aboriginal person and/or Torres Strait Islander; 3. accepted as such by the atSi community in which he or she lives.

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sweet Bursaria or Bursaria spinosa

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aBoriginal knoWledge

atSi knowledge systems are complex, specialised and owned by atSi people. as in Western culture, specialised knowledge is not something that is usually given away for free. atSi people who are commissioned or engaged by the city of port phillip in a cultural capacity, including performing a traditional dance, giving a speech or traditional welcome, providing artwork or participating in a project are entitled to request remuneration for their time and expertise.

intellectual propertY and cultural copYright

protection of intellectual property and cultural copyright are vital issues for atSi people. they are the custodians of their culture, and have the right to own and control their own cultural heritage. An officer seeking access to, and use of, ATSI cultural information must have permission from relevant individuals or organisations. rights to use atSi material may be held by an individual, but mostly cultural material belongs to the traditional owners as a collective.

StYle and keY Word uSage

in keeping with advice from reconciliation australia ‘aboriginal and torres Strait islander’ is to be used when referring to people of aboriginal and torres Strait islander descent. Once identified, this term can be abbreviated to ‘ATSI people’.

always use a capital for aborigine, torres Strait islander, indigenous, traditional owner, and elder. the lowercase word ‘aborigine’ refers to an indigenous person from any part of the world and not to the atSi people. also refer to the terminology section.

Black wattle or acacia mearnsii

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aBoriginal and torreS Strait iSlander communitY conSultation

it is respectful to include and invite the input and views of the local atSi community, particularly the traditional owners, the Yalukit Willam clan of the Boon Wurrung when reviewing, planning and developing strategies.

Officers must consider the capacity of the local community to respond to all requests to participate in consultative and planning processes for the city of port phillip. it should also be noted this type of work is unpaid and voluntary most of the time.

all requests and invitations seeking input from the local atSi community will be made through the ipo. the ipo will work with council’s governance team to determine the relevance of the proposed consultation, and where appropriate, and in consultation with the Boon Wurrung traditional owners and the urban South local indigenous network (USLIN):

• provide feedback• Invite officers to discuss the identified topic at a USLIN meeting• Support broader consultation with the local atSi community.

Council staff should leave sufficient time to ensure this process can be carried out efficiently and effectively.

aBoriginal and torreS Strait iSlander artS

city of port phillip is committed to supporting ‘a culturally vibrant city’, and acknowledges the ‘social, health and wellbeing and economic benefits of fostering a diverse, culturally engaged and active community.’

Council Indigenous Arts Officers produce the annual Yalukit Willam Ngargee festival, and deliver the ATSI Arts Strategy, ‘Boonatung Ngargee Yulenj: Place, Action, Knowledge’.

Any officers that seek to use ATSI specific visual, musical, dance or ceremonial representation must first contact Council’s Indigenous Arts Officers or IPO to assess the cultural appropriateness of their request.

uSe of aBoriginal and torreS Strait iSlander imageS

the use of imagery of aborigines and torres Strait islanders is to be strictly controlled. due to much lower life expectancy rates, images of people in council’s image library could include atSi people who have passed away.

Whenever city of port phillip staff intend to use an image of atSi people or indigenous themes, even if it is stored on the image library, the IPO is to be notified and asked to provide advice on the suitability of the image. Without approval from the ipo imagery of aborigines and torres Strait islanders should not be used.

if the ipo doesn’t know if it is appropriate, they will then consult with local people, traditional owners, and local community groups to ascertain:

• the context for use• whether the life situation of a particular

subject has changed since the image was taken

• whether the image is representative of the local atSi community of port phillip.

Boon wurrung traditional owner caroline martin (left) with aunty ‘Jacko’

Jackson and mark williams

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naming of roadS, laneS and reServeS

road names are required for property addressing, property identification, mapping and for tourism.

the process of selection is contained in council’s guidelines for the naming or re-naming of roads, lanes and reserves.

a request to name a lane, road or reserve can be originated from the wider community or by Council officers.

to address the imbalance of the types of names currently in use, new names have to meet one or more of five criteria. The first criteria look to recognise: ‘The role or contribution of Aboriginal people to australia or to the city of port phillip’.

Where the proposal is for an aboriginal name, the geographic place names act 1998 must be followed.

if an aboriginal name is proposed, the council will, via the ipo, consult with appropriate aboriginal community members.

gender aWareneSS

in planning for and working with aboriginal and torres Strait Islander people, Council officers will consider and respect gender values and community norms.

in different societies and cultures, different values and norms attached to men and women assign them different statuses. Strongly-defined cultural roles help to maintain political, cultural and social stability and ensure the future of custom and tradition.

many sacred ceremonies are open to the whole community and often men and women play complementary roles in them. Some ceremonies are open only to men, similarly, some ceremonies are only open to women.

aboriginal and torres Strait islander women possess separate sacred knowledge and carry out separate ritual (‘women’s business’) to that of aboriginal and torres Strait islander men. therefore, ‘men’s’ and ‘women’s’ business does exist in aboriginal cultures.

Support in relation to the gender awareness is available through the ipo.

senior Boon wurrung spokesperson carolyn Briggs in front of the Ngargee tree in albert Park reserve

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f l a g f lY i n g

Council’s flag flying protocol includes the Aboriginal flag and the Torres Strait Islands flag being flown every day at St Kilda Town

hall. due to building requirements, port melbourne town hall, and

South melbourne town hall only have one flag pole and as such, only fly the

Australian flag.

The Aboriginal flag was designed by harold thomas, a luritja man from central australia. it was created as a symbol of unity and national identity for aboriginal people during the land rights movement of the early 1970s.

The flag was first flown at Victoria Square in adelaide on national aborigines day, 12 July 1971.

The flag was chosen as the official flag for the aboriginal tent embassy in canberra and was first flown there in 1972.

in 1995, the australian government proclaimed the flag as an official ‘flag of australia’.

The symbolic meaning of the flag colours (as stated by Mr Harold Thomas) are:

Black represents the aboriginal people of australia

Red represents the red earth, the red ochre and a spiritual relation to the land

Yellow represents the Sun, the giver of life and protector

the torres Strait Islander flag was created as a symbol of unity and identity for torres Strait islander people, designed by the late Bernard namok from thursday island.

The flag was recognised by the Aboriginal and torres Strait islander commission in June 1992 and given equal prominence with the Aboriginal flag.

in July 1995, it was recognised by the Australian Government as an official ‘flag of australia’.

Each part of the flag is designed to represent something about torres Strait island culture.

Green represents the land

Blue represents the sea

White represents peace

Black represents the indigenous people

the dhari (head-dress) represents torres Strait Island people and the five pointed star represents the five major Island groups. the star also represents navigation, a symbol of the seafaring culture of the torres Strait.

For significant weeks, such as National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance committee (naidoc) Week and Sorry day, the aboriginal flag replaces the australian Flag on the main flagpoles of St Kilda, Port Melbourne and South Melbourne Town Halls.

Both the aboriginal flag and the torres strait Islander flags fly daily at st kilda town Hall

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aBoriginal and torreS Strait iSlander calendar

Sorry day Sorry day is an annual event that has been held on 26 may across australia, since 1998, to remember and raise awareness of the forcible removal of atSi people. the annual commemorations remind Australians about the significance of the forcible removal policies and their impact on the children that were taken, but also on their families and communities.

in 2008, former prime minister the honourable kevin rudd moved the “motion of apology to australia’s atSi peoples”, apologising for past laws, policies, and practices that negatively impacted atSi peoples, particularly members of the Stolen generation.

reconciliation Weeknational reconciliation Week (nrW) is celebrated across australia each year between 27 may and 3 June. ‘reconciliation’ refers to bringing together atSi people and other australians. Supporting reconciliation means working to overcome the division (often called ‘the gap’) and inequality between atSi and non-atSi people. differences are greatest in health, income, living standards and life expectancy, but also prejudice and racism.

1967 referendumTwo dates commemorate significant milestones in the reconciliation journey - the anniversaries of the successful 1967 referendum, which saw over 90 per cent of australians voting to give the commonwealth the power to make laws for atSi people and recognise them in the census, and mabo day. the referendum vote saw two references in the australian constitution, which discriminated against atSi people, removed.

mabo dayJune 3 celebrates mabo day. on 3 June, 1992, the high court of australia delivered its landmark mabo decision which legally recognised that atSi people have a special relationship to the land - that existed prior to colonisation and still exists today. the mabo ruling overturned the legal justification - ‘terra nullius’- used by the British empire for the appropriation of australia. the aboriginal land rights (northern territory) act 1976 was the first attempt by an Australian Government to legally recognise the Aboriginal system of land ownership and put into law the concept of inalienable freehold title.

naidoc Weeknaidoc Week originally stood for ‘national aborigines and islanders day observance committee’ after a day of mourning was held on australia day, 1938. the day of mourning was declared due to the lack of response from the commonwealth government to petitions from aboriginal people in 1935 and 1937 seeking representation in the parliament and the establishment of a national department of native affairs and State advisory councils.

from 1940 until 1955, the Sunday before australia day was the day of mourning, now known as aborigines day. in 1955 the day was shifted to the first Sunday in July and was promoted as a celebration of atSi culture. in 1957, the national aborigines day observance committee (nadoc) formed and the second Sunday in July became a day of remembrance for aboriginal people and their heritage. in 1991 nadoc became naidoc (national aborigines and islanders day observance committee) to recognise torres Strait islanders and to describe a whole week of recognition, rather than one day.

today naidoc celebrations are held around australia in July by all australians to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of atSi people.

Boon wurrung man marbee williams conducts

a smoking ceremony at Peanut farm reserve

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Womin jeka ‘Welcome’ in the local Boon Wurrung language.

ngargee ‘dance’, ‘ceremony’ or ‘place of gathering’ in Boon Wurrung language.

Bubup ‘child’ in Boon Wurrung language.

Wurrung ‘language’ or ‘lips’ in Boon Wurrung language.

nairm ‘port phillip Bay’ in Boon Wurrung language.

aborigines a member or descendant of the earliest known population of australia prior to the arrival of europeans.

torres Strait islanders the indigenous people of australia includes both aborigines and torres Strait islanders, though the history of the two groups is very different. the need for separate consideration of torres Strait islanders is supported by the acknowledged differences between the two groups.

traditional owner traditional owner is the term used to describe the original atSi people who inhabited an area. traditional owners today are descendants of the original inhabitants, and have ongoing spiritual and cultural ties to the land and waterways where their ancestors lived. the traditional owners of port phillip are members of the Yalukit Willam clan of the Boon Wurrung.

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terminologY

Banksia Integrifolia or coast Banksia

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group nameS BaSed on geographYaboriginal people on the mainland, both individually and collectively as a community group, define themselves by their culture not the colour of their skin. The following are broad terms of reference by which aboriginal people identify themselves. in recent times, Aboriginal people are increasingly identified by their specific clan and language group such as the Yalukit Willam clan of the Boon Wurrung.

kulin nation This is an alliance of five Aboriginal language groups in central Victoria, including melbourne. the collective includes the Boon Wurrung (Yalukit Willam), the Woi Wurrung (Wurundjeri), the Watha Wurrung (Wathaurong), the daung Wurrung (taungurong), and the dja dja Wurrung (Jaara).

murries/murris Queenslandnungas South australiakoories/kooris new South Wales/victorianoongar/nyungar/nyoongah/nyungah/nyugah/Yunga South-western Western australiaYamatji coastal and mid-western Western australiaWangai central Western australiaYolngu (top end) northern territoryanangu (central australia) north of South australia, and neighbouring parts of Western australia and the northern territory

palawa/pallawah tasmania

SOURCES:‘Protocols for Consultation and Negotiation with Aboriginal people’, 1999, Queensland department of aboriginal and torres Strait islander policy and development.

‘Aboriginal Cultural Protocols and Practices Policy’, 2003, nSW department of aboriginal affairs.

‘Aboriginal Cultural Protocols Guidelines’, university of melbourne.

‘Aboriginal Protocols’, nSW department of local government.

‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Protocols’, oxfam australia.

‘The Wurundjeri Protocol: A short guide to engaging with the Aboriginal community in Yarra’, 2011, city of Yarra.

‘Indigenous Protocol Tips’, local government association of South australia, 2013.

‘The Noongar People’, South West aboriginal land and Sea council, 2014.

indigenous indigenous australians are the original inhabitants of the australian continent and nearby islands. the torres Strait islanders are indigenous to the torres Strait islands, which are at the northernmost tip of Queensland. the term ‘aboriginal’ is traditionally applied to only the indigenous inhabitants of mainland australia and tasmania along with some of the adjacent islands. Because ‘Indigenous’ is not specific, some ATSI people feel the term should be avoided.

first people ‘first people’ is an inclusive term used when referring to groups that make up the atSi community.

first australians first australians is a collective name for the original people of australia and their descendants, and can be used to emphasise that atSi people lived on the australian continent prior to european colonisation.

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WOI WURRUNG (WURUNDJERI)

Yalukit Willam

NAIRM (pORT pHILLIp bAY)

BOON WURRUNGWATHA WURRUNG

Werribee river

Yarra river

mordialloc

river

maribyrnong

river

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council respectfully acknowledges the Yalukit Willam clan of the Boon Wurrung. We pay our respect to their elders, both past and present. We acknowledge and uphold their continuing relationship to this land.

all images of vegetation feature plants native to the city of port phillip, that were traditionally used as food or medicinal agents by the first people, the Yalukit Willam clan of the Boon Wurrung.

images by photographer todd condie, 2013.

For more information, please contact us via: www.portphillip.vic.gov.au/contact_us.htm Phone: 03 9209 6777 Facsimile: 03 9536 2722SMS: 0432 005 405 email: assist@portphillip.vic.gov.au

You can also visit our website www.portphillip.vic.gov.auPostal address:city of port phillip, private Bag 3, po St kilda, vic 3182

Alternative formats, such as large print, audio, Braille or in another language: please contact aSSiSt on 03 9209 6777

if you are deaf or have a hearing or speech impairment, you can phone us through the National Relay Service (NRS):- ttY users dial 133677, then ask for

03 9209 6777- Speak & listen users can phone

1300 555 727 then ask for 03 9209 6777

for more information visit: www.relayservice.gov.au