Fremantle Football Club and the City of Cockburn have helped 163 students from seven local schools strengthen their connection to culture with the first NAIDOC Week Cultural Immersion Event.
The event was held at the Club’s headquarters at Cockburn ARC on Tuesday, and brought awareness and understanding of the diverse Aboriginal culture that has and continues to exist in the region.
There was a particular focus on Beeliar Boodja and the Fremantle Dockers’ history of Aboriginal representation in the AFL.
Seven schools from the City of Cockburn local government area were in attendance in East Hamilton Hill Primary, Spearwood Primary School, Newton Primary School, Yangebup Primary School, Phoenix Primary School, Bibra Lake Primary School, Kerry Street Community School, Treeby Primary School, Coolbellup Community School and Hammond Park Primary School.
The students rotated through eight stations, that consisted of four cultural activities and four football activities ran by Fremantle players Liam Henry, Nathan O’Driscoll, Josh Corbett and Conrad Williams.
The cultural activities included Beeliar Boodja story telling by Uncle Len Collard, traditional dance facilitated by the City of Cockburn, a Walyalup Cultural presentation from Roger Hayden and jumper art design.
Fremantle board member and senior Noongar woman professor Colleen Hayward spoke about the importance of the day for the young students.
“One of the great things about the Fremantle Football Club is our partnership with the City of Cockburn that sits at the base of this activity today,” Hayward said.
“This opportunity brings kids to the Club, and the fact that Fremantle is playing group is supporting a day like today, just shows how connected they are with our community as well.
“The kids will do a lot of activities, they will learn a lot about Aboriginal culture, and lots of different perspectives about culture.
“We have the oldest living culture in the world, the Aboriginal culture, and it's right here. That's something for all of us to be proud of.
“As a Noongar person, of course I'm proud of that, but I want everyone else to be proud of it as well, so activities and connection points like today are really important, because they bring this history to life.”
City of Cockburn Mayor Logan Howlett was proud to see the City of Cockburn and the Fremantle Dockers working together to provide a cultural experience for the local students.
“Our City is grateful to be one of only 18 local government areas across Australia with an AFL and AFLW team in our backyard, right here on Beeliar Boodja,” Mayor Logan Howlett said.
“First Nations families have lived, hunted and fished along this spiritually and environmentally significant chain of wetlands and lakes, for many centuries.
“As we continue to grow our partnership with the Freo Dockers in the community, it’s fantastic to see AFL and AFLW players and the whole team based at Cockburn ARC striving to provide opportunities like this for Cockburn’s young people.
“On this occasion students from seven local primary and community schools gained an insight into the rich history of Aboriginal players at the Club, and the importance of maintaining links to Country to all First Nations people.
“Football is a great conduit for learning about each other, especially culture, whether that’s fostering team spirit or gaining an understanding of the strong First Nations culture woven into the foundations of the Freo Docker’s history, present and future, at home here in Cockburn.”
