An indigenous elder was barred Wednesday night from giving a Welcome to Country ceremony ahead of a speaking event for former President Obama in Melbourne, Australia, for allegedly being “too difficult.”
Wurundjeri elder Aunty Joy Murphy, 78, was expected to perform the ceremony welcoming the former president to Wurundjeri land as part of Obama’s Australian speaking tour, “An Evening with President Barack Obama.”
Aunty Joy had reportedly asked the event’s organizers, Growth Faculty, to provide a support person to assist her at the event and to provide Obama with a gift in line with cultural practice.
“She was told that she was being ‘too difficult’ and was removed from event proceedings,” said the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation, according to The Guardian.
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“This is a deep offence to the Wurundjeri people and to all First Nations people. Our Welcome to Country protocols are our traditional law and practice that have been used to welcome and offer protection to our guests on Wurundjeri lands for millennia.”
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Aunty Joy said she was “shocked and distressed” by the way the event’s organizers treated her, given she had never been treated in such a way by the organization in the past, according to the National Indigenous Times.
“I am 78 years of age. I have never been treated or spoken to in this way in the past,” Aunty Joy told the National Indigenous Times. “I do not want this to be a reflection on President Obama. I am a leader of the Wurundjeri Nation. I asked to be treated as an equal.”
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“Growth Faculty had been working with Aunty Joy and the Wurundjeri community for many weeks ahead of last night’s event. Due to security requirements, the organisation was unable to accommodate last minute changes to the agreed upon ceremony,” Growth Faculty told Fox News Digital in an email statement. “Growth Faculty has apologised to Aunty Joy that last night’s ceremony could not be changed.”
Growth Faculty also stated Aunty Joy accepted an “invitation to perform Welcome to Country at a business lunch taking place in Melbourne” at which the former president will be in attendance.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation for comment but did not hear back in time for publication.
Obama’s Australian speaking tour kicked off Tuesday, and he sat down with former Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop to talk about leadership and the world’s future.
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Obama flew from Sydney to Melbourne earlier Wednesday, according to News.com.au.
Fox News Digital also reached out to Obama’s office for comment.