With everything that’s happening around the world, it seems like a fitting time to acknowledge the traditional owners of the land I’m on when I write these blogs.

Right now, I’m writing this while on the land of the Wurundjeri people, and I wish to acknowledge them as the Traditional Owners of this land.

I would also like to pay my respects to their Elders, past, present, and emerging, and to all Aboriginal Elders.

Thank you to AJ Williams-Tchen for talking me through the significance of this acknowledgment from his perspective. AJ is my mum’s friend, he is of Wiradjuri / Wotjobulak background, and works as a cultural facilitator and consultant.

He says that as an Aboriginal man, when he acknowledges traditional owners of the land it’s about respect. And it means that he’ll be looked after when he’s on that land.

His counsel for anyone grappling with how to do an acknowledgment of traditional owners is that the most important thing is that it comes from the heart. The intent matters more than the words.