Acknowledge This: Rhys Paddick and Emma Gibbens working to make Acknowledgement of Country accessible for all

When Rhys Paddick and Emma Gibbens first connected, an important conversation began.

Ms Gibbens wanted to acknowledge Aboriginal culture more meaningfully in her work, and while Mr Paddick — a Budimia, Yamatji and Noongar man — didn’t have all the answers, it led to the duo becoming firm friends and continuing that discussion.

It didn’t take long for them to realise it was a conversation that might be beneficial to a wider audience.

From humble beginnings, the pair built their business Acknowledge This! by showing people how they can bring more culture — and heart — into their workplaces and lives.

Mr Paddick said the business had evolved massively since its inception in 2020, with organisations from all types of industries now engaging them to facilitate courses on Acknowledgements of Country and a deeper sense of cultural awareness.

He said through those courses, they teach people about “heart-led action” in the workplace.

“People come to us because they expect to learn ‘here is the quote-unquote right way to do an Acknowledgement’,” he said.

“They’re expecting a logistical response, because our modern society is on this, like, logistical timetable of what we mentally think we should and should not be doing.

“But people forget that it’s us — people — that create culture.

“We sort of humbly remind people through the Acknowledgement of Country that it’s not about the words that you think you should say, it’s about the words that you want to say, if you want to say that.

“I like the idea that non-Aboriginal people can connect to these concepts in a way that they can adopt it for themselves.

“Not to appropriate it . . . but just to go, ‘right, this is actually a part of my story, my identity as an Australian’.”

Ms Gibbens said allyship was an important part of reconciliation, and that together with Mr Paddick, they’re both trying to be allies in the journey towards reconciliation “as a direction and not necessarily a destination”.

The duo has expanded their business offerings, moving into the reconciliation space to help organisations do things like define their Reconciliation Action Plans or mentor those interested in having an impact.

Ms Gibbens said she believed their work was giving people permission to not only take part in culture in an authentic way, but to also bring a sense of themselves to the workplace.

“In our modern world, we go to work, we swipe our beeper at the door, and we sort of check out our souls,” she said. “And we become the ‘manager of communications’ or the ‘operations executive’.

“The Acknowledgement of Country is this little pocket where we can bring connection back into our workplace, show a bit of who we are, and connect together as humans before we get into our roles.”