Archie Walker Indigenous round took centre stage for a fifth year at Echuca Football Netball Club as players, umpires and spectators gathered to celebrate and recognise indigenous culture.
A strong crowd was on hand to witness a smoking ceremony and Welcome to Country before the clash between Echuca and Benalla, and both Murray Bombers football and netball players wore culturally-inspired guernseys designed by John Patten.
The fixture, created by Echuca co-coach and Yorta Yorta man Andrew Walker in 2017 and named in honour of his pop, Archie, has evolved into one of the club’s — and the region’s — most significant events, and Walker said he was blown away by the support shown for it.
“We’re five years in now and everyone’s really got behind the day, and there’s so much education and things to learn about the Yorta Yorta community,” Walker said.
“It’s just growing and growing. It’s pretty special.
“Standing there in that guard of honour, I had goosebumps. To see how big it was was amazing, and to hear a pin drop in the crowd, there’s just so much respect with the round.”
Walker said the round represented not just the celebration of cultural heritage, but an opportunity to open more conversations about Indigenous and Yorta Yorta culture, something he had noticed had come a long way in the years since the round’s inception.
“What we’re trying to allow is those tough conversations, and this club does it better than anyone,” Walker said.
“The first year was big, but at that time it was people gaining an understanding of why you have an Indigenous round, whereas now people fully understand that this is about education and really celebrating the Yorta Yorta community.
“It wasn’t always like that, and to see the recognition these rounds are getting is really special.”