Aboriginal Country is not always clearly agreed upon by Traditional Owners. Therefore, acknowledging one people over another may unintentionally exclude some people.
The University’s protocol is to acknowledge the following language groups, based on location.
Boonwurrung & Woiwurrung
- City campuses
- Footscray campuses
- St Albans and Sunshine campuses
- Altona Meadows Learning Link
Boonwurrung, Waddawurrung & Woiwurrung
Woiwurrung
- Sunbury City Council area
Gadigal and Guring-gai
Formal Acknowledgement of Country
Melbourne
"We/I acknowledge the Ancestors, Elders and families of the [language groups] of the Kulin who are the traditional owners of University land. As we share our own knowledge practices within the University may we pay respect to the deep knowledge embedded within the Aboriginal community and their ownership of Country.
We/I acknowledge that the land on which we meet is a place of age old ceremonies of celebration, initiation and renewal and that the Kulin people’s living culture has a unique role in the life of this region."
Sydney
“We/I Sydney acknowledges the Gadigal and Guring-gai people of the Eora Nation upon whose ancestral lands our place of learning now stands. We would also like to pay respect to the Elders both past and present, acknowledging them as the Traditional Custodians of knowledge for the land on which our campus is situated.”
Informal Acknowledgement of Country
To give an informal Acknowledgement of Country, any of the follow phrases are appropriate.
- I acknowledge the Ancestors, Elders and families of the [language groups] of the Kulin (Melbourne campuses)/Eora (Sydney campus) as the traditional owners of land.
- I would like to acknowledge the [language groups] who are the traditional owners of the land on which we meet.
- I would like to pay my respect to Elders past and present and extend my respect to Aboriginal people/staff/students/community who are present today.
- The footprints of the Kulin are found across the landscape of the western region.
- I recognise and acknowledge the [language groups] as the traditional owners of this land and pay my respect to their Ancestors and Elders.