I grew up 65 years ago in a small country town in north west NSW. I had a friend, don’t remember his name today. He never wore shoes. We would walk around in the bush. He talked to me about all sorts of plants and showed me ones we could eat that tasted good. Showed me how to notice many animals that I’d never noticed in the bush. We found witcherty grubs. Cooked they tasted like lamp chop fat, not bad. We went fishing in the river and caught fresh water cray fish, also not bad to eat. I never knew he was aboriginal until one day we were leaving school and my father pulled up beside us offering me a lift home. I asked Dad can we drive my friend home also. I’ll never forget the look on Dad’s face. He said ok. We drove out of town along a dirt road and pulled up at a gate post. Down the dirt road past the gate was an encampment consisting of half water tanks and corrugated sheets of tin held up with wooden posts. My friend walked up the track to the people milling around. That was where my friend lived. Until then I’d didn’t know he was aboriginal, or what that meant. I learned more about what being aboriginal meant over the next years. They were not welcome at the public swimming pool. They were not welcome in the town after the sun went down. My friend welcomed me to country walking in the bush, swimming in the river, catching fish and showing me food growing. Every time I see a welcome to country ceremony I remember that little boy welcoming me to country, his country. Yes welcome to country is important for all Australians to appreciate. Answer from ChemicalAd2485 on reddit.com

I grew up 65 years ago in a small country town in north west NSW. I had a friend, don’t remember his name today. He never wore shoes. We would walk around in the bush. He talked to me about all sorts of plants and showed me ones we could eat that tasted good. Showed me how to notice many animals that I’d never noticed in the bush. We found witcherty grubs. Cooked they tasted like lamp chop fat, not bad. We went fishing in the river and caught fresh water cray fish, also not bad to eat. I never knew he was aboriginal until one day we were leaving school and my father pulled up beside us offering me a lift home. I asked Dad can we drive my friend home also. I’ll never forget the look on Dad’s face. He said ok. We drove out of town along a dirt road and pulled up at a gate post. Down the dirt road past the gate was an encampment consisting of half water tanks and corrugated sheets of tin held up with wooden posts. My friend walked up the track to the people milling around. That was where my friend lived. Until then I’d didn’t know he was aboriginal, or what that meant. I learned more about what being aboriginal meant over the next years. They were not welcome at the public swimming pool. They were not welcome in the town after the sun went down. My friend welcomed me to country walking in the bush, swimming in the river, catching fish and showing me food growing. Every time I see a welcome to country ceremony I remember that little boy welcoming me to country, his country. Yes welcome to country is important for all Australians to appreciate. Answer from ChemicalAd2485 on reddit.com