A Welcome to Country ahead an AFL game has sparked a heated debate for its particularly pointed tone with some fans calling it a ‘disgrace’.
Brendan Kerin, a cultural educator with Sydney’s Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council, gave the speech which he said was ‘not for white people’ before the GWS Giants and Brisbane Lions game at Sydney Olympic Park on Saturday night.
The ceremonies have previously triggered controversy with some Australians questioning why they needed to be welcomed to their own country, but Mr Kerin said the practice had been misunderstood.
‘I’m here this evening to perform a ceremony of Welcome to Country… a Welcome to Country is not a welcome to Australia,’ Mr Kerin said.
‘Within Australia we have many Aboriginal lands and we refer to our lands as ‘country. So it’s always a welcome to the lands you’ve gathered on.
‘A Welcome to Country is not a ceremony we’ve invented to cater for white people.
‘It’s a ceremony we’ve been doing for 250,000 years-plus BC – and the BC stands for Before Cook.’
Some of the crowd gathered at the stadium gave a collective chuckle at the abbreviation, which referred to Captain James Cook arriving in Australia in 1770 and the start of European settlement.
Brendan Kerin, a cultural educator with Sydney ‘s Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council, gave a rather blunt Welcome to Country which he said was not invented for white people
Mr Kerin continued on: ‘Prior to colonisation, you could get yourself in a lot of trouble for walking on someone else’s lands without being welcomed onto those lands’.
‘So for me it’s always an honour to perform this ceremony.’
‘The boundaries for the Eora nation start from the ocean and they’re surrounded by three of Australia’s most beautiful rivers.
‘We have the Hawkesbury river, Nepean river and the Georges river. In between those three mighty and beautiful rivers there are 29 tribes that make up the Eora and the name of the tribe we gathered on here this evening is Wann-gal.
‘On behalf of those Wann-gal ancestors and on behalf of metropolitan local Aboriginal land council, welcome to the lands of the Wann-gal and the home to the mighty giants.’
The speech caused a meltdown on X with viewers debating whether it was refreshingly blunt
The speech received a round of applause before Mr Kerin played a short piece on the didgeridoo and then Mimi Velevska sang Advance Australia Fair.
Soon after, however, the moment was causing meltdown on X with the topic one of the most trending in Australia.
Viewers were hotly debating whether the blunt speech had scored a goal.
‘This welcome to country will have annoyed all of the right people,’ said one.
‘Really good, informative Welcome to Country tonight,’ was one comment.
‘What a disgrace. Referring to BC as Before Cook and then lecturing everyone,’ one angry individual fired back.
‘Woke joke. Australia has fallen,’ a fourth chimed in.
The ceremonies have become a fixture at sporting events (pictured: Welcome to Country during the 2023 AFLW Round 7 match between the Adelaide Crows and the Western Bulldogs)
Uncle Colin Hunter Jnr performs the Welcome to Country during the 2024 AFL Awards at Centrepiece on August 29, 2024 in Melbourne
In terms of the game, Brisbane spearhead Joe Daniher lifted his side into an AFL preliminary final, slotting the final two goals of a stunning five-point win over GWS.
Trailing by 44 points, last year’s grand finalists produced a four-goal third-quarter flex, before Daniher reduced the margin to one point in the final term on Saturday.
With less than two minutes on the clock in front of 18,357 fans, Daniher fought off Sam Taylor and marked inside 50, kicking truly to seal the 15.15 (105) to 15.10 (100) victory.
The Lions will play Geelong in a preliminary final at the MCG, while the Giants’ campaign for a maiden premiership this year ends.
With Lachie Neale battling a Toby Bedford tag, Jarrod Berry (27 disposals) and Will Ashcroft (27) stood up in the midfield.
Dayne Zorko (two goals, 25 disposals) also starred, while Charlie Cameron and Kai Lohmann kicked two alongside Daniher’s haul of four.
Aaron Cadman of the Giants and Harris Andrews of the Lions compete for the ball during the 2024 AFL First Semi Final match between the GWS GIANTS and the Brisbane Lions at ENGIE Stadium
Neale finished with 19 disposals and seven clearances, after Bedford held the two-time Brownlow medallist to four touches and three clearances at quarter-time.
Jesse Hogan was outstanding for GWS and kicked five goals, while Tom Green (33 possessions) worked desperately to withstand the challenge.
Bedford, returning to action after missing out on their qualifying-final loss with a calf complaint, made his presence known immediately.
The highly rated Giants tagger, pulling off a one-two with midfielder Josh Kelly, burnt through the corridor to set up Aaron Cadman for the first goal of the match.
Daniher got the better of Taylor for Brisbane’s opener, before Giants skipper Toby Greene retorted in brilliant fashion to kickstart a four-goal chain.
The Lions key forward then cut into the 21-point deficit with his second goal after Isaac Cumming was caught holding the ball just in front of goal, with 10 points the difference at quarter-time.
Cam Rayner (L) and Will Ashcroft (R) of the Lions celebrate victory at full time
Giants midfield bull Stephen Coniglio was subbed out of the match with a cheekbone injury after copping a heavy blow to the head as Harris Andrews attempted to stop Cadman taking a mark.
Xavier O’Halloran joined the fray in the second term to replace Coniglio as the Giants rebuilt their 21-point lead.
A bad handpass from Neale landed in the hands of Kieren Briggs and the GWS ruck slotted a rare goal to open the third term.
The hosts broke out to a game-high 44-point lead, before the Lions put together five unanswered goals in less than eight minutes to begin their fightback.
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