Macorna Football Netball Club (FNC) will play host to the Golden Rivers Indigenous Round between Macorna and Wandella this Saturday, July 8.
The event will be held at the Macorna Recreation Reserve from 9.30am when a smoking ceremony and Welcome to Country will be held prior to the commencement of the Junior games. A Senior smoking ceremony will be performed on the oval at 2.25pm before the Senior match kicks off.
Event co-ordinator and Macorna FNC member Sarah Longstaff says that Macorna and Wandella Football Netball Clubs were the first in the Golden Rivers League to introduce an Indigenous Round in 2018. Since then, other clubs in the league have also introduced the event, which coincides with NAIDOC Week.
“We felt that the culture was dying,” said Sarah. “We wanted to bring acknowledgement of the culture to this generation, to teach – and learn, because we’re still learning ourselves. By coming together through sport, we thought that was the best way to bridge that gap.
“Our slogan has been ‘Strengthening Connections’. There’s a fierce rivalry between Macorna and Wandella, so for these two clubs to come together on that day, it’s amazing that that rivalry gets put to the side for the day, and we all do come together as one through sport.”
Each team will wear specially designed Indigenous Round uniforms, which were introduced to Senior levels in 2021. This is the first year that everyone – Junior and Senior netball and football players – will be sporting the custom uniforms, something Sarah is proud to see come to fruition.
Macorna FNC uniforms were designed by local artist, Kylie Rowe. Using tracks of local animals and symbols of meeting places and gatherings to aid in the translation, Kylie’s aim was to represent the coming together as one – unity. The jumper is ‘torn’ open to reveal the indigenous design underneath and maintains the Macorna colours, which are also traditional colours of aboriginal art.
Wandella Football Netball Club’s uniforms are designed by Lauren Murray, a Barapa Barapa woman from Swan Hill. The design incorporates animal tracks, waterholes and meeting places, all aspects that represent the community of the forest.
Awards will be presented at the conclusion of each game for the player who shows team orientated skills and inclusiveness.
The Indigenous Rounds have evolved since they were first introduced five years ago, and Sarah says they will continue to evolve. “We can always build or add to it. I think we’ll always strive to do more and build on the knowledge of our indigenous culture.”
Next year’s Indigenous Round will be hosted by Wandella.
Following the completion of the Indigenous Round, Macorna FNC will run its Bogan Bingo evening. Tickets must be purchased online at Eventbrite.
This article appeared in The Koondrook and Barham Bridge Newspaper, 6 July 2023.
