Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
In Australia, Welcome to Country—a contentious land acknowledgement ceremony performed by Aboriginal elders—and its ubiquitous, now-mandatory cousin, Acknowledgement of Country, only exist in their current forms for one reason: British colonisation.
I know, it’s a provocative claim, but by the end of this video, I’m going to show you why it’s not just a possibility, but a historical certainty. I’d just like to thank the viewers whose insights helped sharpen this argument.
Just to be clear, I’m not here to argue about whether Welcomes to Country existed before colonisation; that’s a separate conversation. My point is that if it weren’t for the British, we wouldn’t be stuck in a perpetual debate over whether these ceremonies actually belong at Anzac Day services, or any other public event.
Firstly, let’s start with a foundational claim: Aboriginal Australia was effectively destined to be colonised. That is a geopolitical given. No disrespect to the inhabitants—it was no small feat to survive in such a harsh landscape—but thousands of years of isolation meant there was no evolutionary pressure to develop technology more complex than the spear or the boomerang.
Regardless of which flag arrived first during the Age of Sail, the military disparity was absolute. Indigenous weapons were never going to be a match for the industrial output of Europe. While the locals had the advantage of terrain and knowledge, that advantage ultimately crumbled when faced with the industrialised reality of European steel and mass-produced gunpowder.
My second claim—and the crux of this entire video—is this: the British ultimately introduced the framework of liberal democratic values. If it weren’t for British institutions like individual liberty, freedom of speech, and the rule of law, the very concept of Aboriginal people being able to perform a Welcome to Country in modern Australia would never have eventuated.
Now, I’m not suggesting that a French or Dutch colony wouldn’t have eventually developed similar freedoms. But the reality is that because a Western power established the foundation, Aboriginal Australians now have the legal and social standing to question the state, influence the government, and perform rituals at Anzac Day that many other Australians find deeply divisive.
For the sake of argument, let’s imagine the Chinese had been the first to colonise this continent. Do you honestly think they would have been more “forgiving” toward the local population? No chance. If they hadn’t completely assimilated or displaced the native population, they certainly wouldn’t be permitting land acknowledgements that challenge the absolute authority of the state.
If a regime like the Chinese Communist Party were in charge of Australia today, a “Welcome to Country”—which by its nature asserts a prior and competing sovereignty—would be a thing of the past. It wouldn’t be debated; it would be silenced, with force if necessary. Just look at how the modern Chinese state handles ethnic minorities in regions like Xinjiang or Tibet.
In conclusion, due to thousands of years of isolation and a lack of competing pressures outside of tribal skirmishes, the peak of Aboriginal military technology remained the spear and the boomerang—tools that were simply no match for industrial-grade muskets and steel bayonets. Colonisation was a geopolitical inevitability.
If it weren’t for the liberal-democratic framework introduced by the British, modern-day Aboriginal Australians would never be in a position to assert sovereignty or influence public discourse. Ironically, if an authoritarian power had claimed Australia instead, the modern practice of Welcome to Country would likely never have been allowed to develop. Certainly, if anyone attempted to claim competing sovereignty during a day of national significance like Anzac Day, their dissent would be crushed with an iron fist.
The reality is paradoxical: colonisation created the environment for these ceremonies. If it wasn’t for British colonisation, the modern practice of Welcome to Country simply would not exist.
MUSIC
Allégro by Emmit Fenn
In Australia, Welcome to Country—a contentious land acknowledgement ceremony performed by Aboriginal elders—and its ubiquitous, now-mandatory cousin, Acknowledgement of Country, only exist in their current forms for one reason: British colonisation.
I know, it’s a provocative claim, but by the end of this video, I’m going to show you why it’s not just a possibility, but a historical certainty. I’d just like to thank the viewers whose insights helped sharpen this argument.
Just to be clear, I’m not here to argue about whether Welcomes to Country existed before colonisation; that’s a separate conversation. My point is that if it weren’t for the British, we wouldn’t be stuck in a perpetual debate over whether these ceremonies actually belong at Anzac Day services, or any other public event.
Firstly, let’s start with a foundational claim: Aboriginal Australia was effectively destined to be colonised. That is a geopolitical given. No disrespect to the inhabitants—it was no small feat to survive in such a harsh landscape—but thousands of years of isolation meant there was no evolutionary pressure to develop technology more complex than the spear or the boomerang.
Regardless of which flag arrived first during the Age of Sail, the military disparity was absolute. Indigenous weapons were never going to be a match for the industrial output of Europe. While the locals had the advantage of terrain and knowledge, that advantage ultimately crumbled when faced with the industrialised reality of European steel and mass-produced gunpowder.
My second claim—and the crux of this entire video—is this: the British ultimately introduced the framework of liberal democratic values. If it weren’t for British institutions like individual liberty, freedom of speech, and the rule of law, the very concept of Aboriginal people being able to perform a Welcome to Country in modern Australia would never have eventuated.
Now, I’m not suggesting that a French or Dutch colony wouldn’t have eventually developed similar freedoms. But the reality is that because a Western power established the foundation, Aboriginal Australians now have the legal and social standing to question the state, influence the government, and perform rituals at Anzac Day that many other Australians find deeply divisive.
For the sake of argument, let’s imagine the Chinese had been the first to colonise this continent. Do you honestly think they would have been more “forgiving” toward the local population? No chance. If they hadn’t completely assimilated or displaced the native population, they certainly wouldn’t be permitting land acknowledgements that challenge the absolute authority of the state.
If a regime like the Chinese Communist Party were in charge of Australia today, a “Welcome to Country”—which by its nature asserts a prior and competing sovereignty—would be a thing of the past. It wouldn’t be debated; it would be silenced, with force if necessary. Just look at how the modern Chinese state handles ethnic minorities in regions like Xinjiang or Tibet.
In conclusion, due to thousands of years of isolation and a lack of competing pressures outside of tribal skirmishes, the peak of Aboriginal military technology remained the spear and the boomerang—tools that were simply no match for industrial-grade muskets and steel bayonets. Colonisation was a geopolitical inevitability.
If it weren’t for the liberal-democratic framework introduced by the British, modern-day Aboriginal Australians would never be in a position to assert sovereignty or influence public discourse. Ironically, if an authoritarian power had claimed Australia instead, the modern practice of Welcome to Country would likely never have been allowed to develop. Certainly, if anyone attempted to claim competing sovereignty during a day of national significance like Anzac Day, their dissent would be crushed with an iron fist.
The reality is paradoxical: colonisation created the environment for these ceremonies. If it wasn’t for British colonisation, the modern practice of Welcome to Country simply would not exist.
MUSIC
Allégro by Emmit Fenn
