Is the “Welcome to Country” scam finally running dry? It’s had a good run, this “ancient ceremony” that was invented in 1976. But, in a classic tale of hubris, just when it’s become all-but-ubiquitous, the racket may finally be going broke.
Not just because Australians are thoroughly sick of the empty virtue-signalling, and constant tacit implications that they don’t belong in their own country.
But also because more and more Australians are waking up to the fact that it’s a cynical money-grab.
Members of Broken Hill’s Aboriginal community have criticised a decision by its local council to stop paying them for undertaking Welcome to Country ceremonies […]
Under the revision, Broken Hill’s traditional owners, the Wilyakali people, would still be invited to perform the ceremony, but at no financial cost to the council.
Naturally, the grifters are miffed at their nice little earner coming a cropper.
For Wilyakali woman Taunoa Bugmy, who has been performing the ceremony for more than 15 years at various events, it was a shock — especially during Reconciliation Week.
“I’m heartbroken, I’m spiritually disrupted, I feel detached a little bit from my community, I feel outcasted,” Ms Bugmy said.
And brokeded, too, no doubt.
And the white folk are feeling hadded.
Despite the criticism, BHCC Mayor Tom Kennedy said until recently he and many councillors were unaware the service was paid for.
“For me, a welcome has to be given for it to be truly a welcome, as opposed to a paid statement,” he said.
“If you’re paying for something, you’re paying for a statement.”
And just in case you still harboured delusions that it isn’t a money-grab.
But Ms Bugmy said the idea of paying for a Welcome to Country had been around for as long as she could remember, if not longer.
She said youths performing in language were paid a flat rate of $150, more senior representatives like her received $250, while an official smoking ceremony cost $300.
Ms Bugmy said it was important to note that those rates were several hundred — even thousands of dollars — lower than rates in larger cities like Sydney.
So, what she means is that every time some white rando calling themselves “Aunty Bev Possum” or “Uncle Billy Noonuccle” whack on a bit of ochre and bore the pants off everyone at a school assembly, local council meeting, or footy match, they’re trousering a few grand in their lap-lap.
What part of this isn’t screaming “scam”?
As the mayor points out, if it’s such an ancient, sacred ceremony, why sully it with “coloniser’s” money?
“It’s not [like we’re] removing the Welcome to Country. It’s removing a fee for service that most councillors didn’t even know existed,” he said.
“I speak to a lot of Aboriginal people as well and I can tell you, there’s many out there that would do a Welcome to Country for free and don’t believe it should be charged out.”
In a written statement on Friday, the Broken Hill Aboriginal Community Working Party (CWP) said members were “shocked and offended” by the decision.
The CWP is now calling on the council to immediately withdraw its decision and meet members and traditional custodians to discuss how to put reconciliation back on track for the community.
ABC Australia
Wait, don’t tell me. Let me guess: it’ll involve money. Lots of money.
