A Sydney primary school has raised eyebrows after forcing students to chant ‘always was, always will be Aboriginal land’ at the start of every assembly.
The school instructs children to place their hands on the ground and repeat the words as part of an Acknowledgment of Country.
One mum from the lower Blue Mountains region, who did not want to name the school, said ‘a lot of people’ wouldn’t know it was going on.
‘(The children) have to touch the ground and say “always was, always will be Aboriginal land” at the start of assembly at school now,’ she told news.com.au.
‘A lot of the parents look confused when they place their hands on the floor for the Acknowledgement of Country’.
Another parent confirmed the act of touching the ground had been happening for some time as a standard practice.
The mum added an updated national anthem featuring the didgeridoo and stick instruments was also used and replaced the traditional version.
Versions of the national anthem with Aboriginal instruments are listed on the Prime Minister and Cabinet website under official recordings of the Australian anthem and have been used in schools for several years.
A primary school has raised eyebrows after forcing students to chant ‘always was, always will be Aboriginal land’ at the start of every assembly (stock image)
The NSW Department of Education encourages staff to incorporate a Welcome to Country or an Acknowledgement of Country to meetings, events and gatherings.
‘One of our aims is to promote greater understanding of and respect for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people and cultures in our workplaces, our schools, and in the wider community,’ its website reads.
‘By observing these protocols and participating in this cultural practice we are also promoting understanding of and respect for Aboriginal cultural practice.
‘All staff are encouraged to incorporate a Welcome to Country and/or an Acknowledgement of Country at every meeting, event or other gathering.’
Dr Bella d’Abrera, director of the Foundations of Western Civilisation Program at the Institute of Public Affairs, described the primary school act as an ‘appalling example of activism’.
‘While such activities are not mandated in schools, many teachers feel compelled to perform them given that the National Curriculum prioritises Indigenous issues in the classroom, and activists in the education sector push this agenda,’ she said.
‘There is no place for activism in any classroom in Australia.’
It comes after civil servants were reportedly asked to remove their shoes and wiggle their toes during a Welcome to Country last month.
A Welcome to Country can only be delivered by traditional owners or custodians of the land on which the event takes place (pictured, performers during a Welcome to Country)
Employees at Queensland’s Department of Justice and Attorney-General office in Brisbane recently attended an awards ceremony which began with a Welcome to Country.
They were asked to remove their shoes, wiggle their toes and close their eyes in order to feel more in tune with the earth, reported the Courier Mail.
A Department of Justice and Attorney-General spokesman confirmed that a Welcome to Country was conducted at the event.
‘A Welcome to Country or Acknowledgement of Country is conducted at appropriate government-organised events, including awards ceremonies and conferences,’ he said.
‘They can take many forms and often differ, according to the nature of the event and the presenter.
‘For example, a Welcome to Country can encompass singing, dancing or smoking ceremonies.’
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