Victoria's historic treaty formally commences with cultural celebration
The event at John Cain Arena began with a smoking ceremony. (ABC News)
In short:
The first statewide treaty was signed in November but required cultural assent to mark its beginning.
On Friday celebrations, including live performances, were carried out.
The treaty is aimed at strengthening First Peoples' right to self-determination, representation and decision-making.
Victoria's statewide treaty is officially in place after a day of cultural celebrations in Melbourne.
The treaty was signed and passed into Victorian law last month, but built into the deal was an agreement that it would formally begin after a cultural ceremony and celebration, which took place on Wurundjeri country on Friday.
The cultural assent came in the form of ceremonies to mark what is supposed to be the beginning of a new relationship between the government and the Aboriginal community.
The treaty aspires to improve the lives of Aboriginal Victorians through a new advisory body, truth-telling and accountability initiatives and recognition of past harms.
A kangaroo skin version of the treaty was marked by ochre handprints of Aboriginal community leaders throughout Friday.
On Friday night Premier Jacinta Allan, Treaty Minister Natalie Hutchins, and Victoria's First Peoples' Assembly co-chairs Ngarra Murray and Reuben Berg finalised assent by putting their hands in ochre and making a print on the kangaroo skin.
Premier Jacinta Allan marked her hand print on kangaroo skin. (ABC News)
The gesture was welcomed with a standing ovation in a free event at John Cain Arena attended by thousands of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Victorians.
It was declared to the crowd by the Treaty Authority, the independent body that oversaw negotiations, that the treaty was now officially in place.
"Today for the first time in the history of this nation we affirm a treaty between first peoples and the state," Ms Murray said.
"This treaty is born from strength, resilience and the resistance of our people. It is born from our unyielding love for our country and our communities and our unwavering belief in a better future.
"Treaties are a bridge, not just between us and the state, but between black and white, the past and the future."
Not the finish line, premier says
Ms Allan said she was proud that Victoria was leading the nation.
"Here in Victoria we believe in fairness we believe in truth and we believe in a better future for First Peoples," she said.
"This is a journey that has taken years of work. It has taken that vital truth-telling through the Yoorook Justice Commission. Those stories of children taken, languages silenced and families torn apart."
Premier Jacinta Allan and First People's Assembly co-chair Rueben Berg. (ABC News)
Ms Allan acknowledged all those who had fought for the treaty and continued to do so.
"This is not the finish line. It is the first big step in a much longer journey," she said.
"And if we want treaty to endure, and we most certainly want it to endure, if we want it to be real, strong and here not just for the next generation but many, many more, then we have to fight for it."
The cultural ceremony was followed by a concert with performances from Yothu Yindi, Yorta Yorta rapper Briggs, Missy Higgins and more.
More practical changes associated with treaty, such as elections for Gellung Warl, a revamped Aboriginal representative body established under the treaty, are expected next year.
The Victorian opposition has pledged to repeal the treaty legislation if it wins government at next year's election.