Last week, a contingent of boys and girls from our club’s ARA First Nations Academy began an eight-day tour in the Red Centre, as part of a cultural development program.
Players were selected following games between the QBE Swans Academy and the ARA First Nations Academy earlier this year, while the program is a key component of the club’s First Nations strategy.
The tour saw athletes take part in two games in Alice Springs and Marn Grook with the Mutitjulu community, while immersing themselves in the local culture and learning from the community.
“I think the week blends into the NAIDOC Week theme and that it's all about the next generation. This week was purely about our next generation, not only athletically but personally and I think across the week we've seen tremendous growth in both areas, I'm sure those participants will go away with fond memories,” said Jarred Hodges, Sydney Swans Manager – First Nations Strategy & Player Development when reflecting on the week.
“For me, it was obviously that deep cultural connection, we've worked really hard through our ARA First Nations Academy program, and had assistance from the Black Dog Institute, around social and emotional well-being being the foundation of our program, and a huge part of that is connection.
“Connection to country, connection to culture, connection to ancestors, stories, kin. And that's the part I think I'm most proud of, is what the Red Centre provides in terms of connection.
“I will say as well the growth is building strong young First Nations people, strong in their culture, strong in their identity. Building positive social emotional well-being gives us the best chance of changing some of the statistics around our youth.
“I guess if we had one word, it's just strength, we want our kids and our people being strong in who they are, we want them to be able to walk around and proudly identify but also we want them to give them the skills and knowledge that they can pass on to broader Australia as we all keep working towards a united country. I think with First Nations people at the centre of that, we hold a huge responsibility of spreading the message of coming together.”
First Nations Academy athletes Jakob Frankl and Bobbi Matthews came away from the trip with a deeper understanding of culture and knowledge.
The duo were recipients of ARA Group's new ARA First Nations Academy Leadership Award presented at the ARA Wiimali awards earlier this month.
“It’s been great and I’ve really enjoyed the whole week. From the footy, the cultural activities in both Alice Springs, Uluru, Kata Tjuṯa, wherever we have been it’s been great,” Frankl said.
“It was great to be able to come here and I’ve really be making the most of it.”
“It's been an incredible experience and the opportunities that we've had along the week have been amazing,” Matthews added.
“It's just been a really big eye-opener to see how the communities out here live. They’ve grown up in such a different lifestyle but just seeing how happy they were when we came, that was the best.
“Getting involved in everything this week was a bit thing for me and not stepping away. I got involved, I took it all in and I'm very grateful for that.
The tour was only made possible through the support of the ARA Group, Sydney Swans Foundation, UNSW, Redtails Pinktails Right Tracks Program, Voyages and the Mutitjulu Community.
“It’s about the responsibility as a company to give back but it’s very special,” said Paul Dieckmann from ARA Group.
“From the effort of the coaches, and then watching the kids do their absolute best in everything, engaging in community and culture, playing footy, it’s been a privilege.
“But it’s not about ARA. It's just about these kids, it's about the future, and we're just so proud to be a part of it.”
The Sydney Swans have a connection to the region through two of the club’s former players. Elkin Reily, the club’s original First Nations player, was removed from his family at Telegraph Point in Alice Springs and Fred Campbell was drafted to the Swans from Alice Springs and is now a development coach with the Redtails Pinktails Right Tracks Program.
The club’s newest AFLW recruits Sarah Steele-Park and Lulu Pullar were members of the Pinktails.
