Three Dharuk elders give Brooke a welcome to country.
Brooke, a proud Noongar-Yamatji woman, is warmly welcomed onto Darug (Dharuk) country, where the Bachelor/ette series is filmed. The ceremonial tradition invites viewers to reflect upon where this dating show is taking place. The lands on which Brooke and the contestants will live, play, and fall in love, are the lands of the Bediagal (Bidjigal) people. Lands that were invaded by British colonizers and stolen for the Commonwealth. Australia always was & always will be Aboriginal land. This season is the first ever to feature a welcome to country as well as acknowledgement of country.
Brooke hails from Perth, Western Australia. The show which is in Sydney, on the other end of the continent, is so far from home. But a welcome to country basically tells her-- "you are welcome here, this is your home too, you are safe here, may you find love." Brooke's connection to culture is so important to her and it is so amazing and beautiful to see The Bachelorette put their support behind her with the inclusion of something like this.