It’s not often the Fremantle offices are filled with children’s laughter and excitement but on Wednesday afternoon the club was treated to a visit from some special visitors as part of NAIDOC week celebrations.
Lead by Indigenous artists Richard Walley, the entire playing group, coaches and administration staff joined Michael Johnson, Danyle Pearce, Michael Walters, Roger Hayden and their kids to paint a mural representing the past, present and future.
Father of three, Johnson, said it was a great way to include his children into a club activity and also teach them about their Indigenous culture.
Johnson is a part of the Balardong community from the Noongar tribe, located in the South West of Western Australia.
“It’s very important, not just for the Indigenous players but for everyone at the club to be involved,“ Johnson said.
“I know my kids were pretty excited to add to the painting, and it’s important for them to learn about their culture.
“The kids have gone home happy, and with plenty of paint on their shoes, but it was great to have them involved.”
Richard Walley, a renowned Indigenous artist and performer, has worked closely with club for several years, most recently working with Hayden to design the club’s jumper for the AFL’s Indigenous Round.
“He’s an elder from Western Australia and a leader all over the country,” Johnson said.
“It’s fantastic to have uncle Richard on board with us and be part of all the celebrations at the club.
“He is a busy man especially around this time of the year, so to get him to come down to the club and run this activity is great."
Walley said he enjoyed being involved in the NAIDOC celebrations and said when football and Indigenous people have engagement there are always positves.
“I believe the club is doing a fantasitic job, it’s not only embracing Indigenous culture, it’s leading the way in areas with involvement and engagement with Indigenous people,” Walley said.
“Aboriginal people embrace football, and football has been good for Aboriginal people, it’s a good win-win situation.
“Football clubs are families, they are where people pull together. In our culture we can relate to football clubs quite easily because it’s the same thing.”
“It’s a family structure, you are working next to people who become closer to you and in our culture they become brothers and sisters and that’s all very important.”
NAIDOC stands for National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee. Its origins can be traced to the emergence of Aboriginal groups in the 1920′s which sought to increase awareness in the wider community of the status and treatment of Indigenous Australians.
NAIDOC Week is held in the first full week of July. It is a time to celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history, culture and achievements and is an opportunity to recognise the contributions that Indigenous Australians make to our country and our society.
The national NAIDOC theme for 2015 was: We all Stand on Sacred Ground: Learn, Respect and Celebrate.
