Re: Sam Newman at it again!
Reply #48 –
The Welcome To Country is a sign of respect. If you want to argue about the definition of "Our Own Country", that's up to you.
First Nations people were semi nomadic, and their level of movement varied according to weather, food sources and the like. As they lived predominantly outside, the land, the country, was effectively their home. If one tribe or mob moved from one place to another, they invariably needed to cross through the lands of another mob, and in much the same way as people knocking on our door at home, you welcome them into your home (or not), depending on a variety of circumstances. Inviting people into your home is essentially a welcome, and every time they visit, you welcome them again. So it is with First Nations people. So every time you visit the MCG, you are visiting Wurundjeri country. You can argue about whether the Welcome should be dealt with symbolically or literally, but that's a separate issue.
Not entirely true Paul.
Indigenous Australian society is/was based on clans claiming descent from a common ancestor as the land owning group. Several clans made up a language group (sometimes called a tribe or nation) with the same language, kinship rules, creation stories, etc. Members of the language group would move around their clan estates in a cycle that enabled exploitation of seasonally abundant resources as well as meeting neighbours for trade, ceremony and to obtain wives (men rarely left their clans to join their wife's clan).
On occasion, entire language groups would travel across other language grpups' estates for ceremonies and trade. For example, the Faithfull massacre occurred when Faithfull's men panicked at the sight of hundreds of Kulin and opened fire. Faithfull's men were swiftly overpowered and most were killed. The Kulin were travelling from around Melbourne to north of Albury for a ceremony with the local Wiradjuri people.
The Kulin would have been welcomed to the different estates or country through which they travelled. In that context, and as you say Paul, "country" is not Australia but the clan estates of the local people. So when Colin Hunter says "Wominjeka yearmann koondee biik Wurundjeri balluk", he's not welcoming folk to the country as if they've just arrived but he's making everyone welcome to the lands of his ancestors. That's particularly appropriate for the MCG as it was a highly significant gathering place for the Kulin people. In other words, he's being courteous to those who know live on his ancestors' country as well as those who are visiting.