Students from the Laynhapuy Homeland communities, Clontarf and Stars Academy students from Gove and members of the Geelong Football Club came together for a football clinic and friendly games incorporating an overnight camp from Tuesday 29 to Wednesday 30 October in the GanGan homeland community – North East Arnhem Land.
In a first, there were games played between Clontarf, Stars and homelands communities which was fully supported by the Laynhapuy Homelands Aboriginal Corporation and the Geelong Cats Football Club. AFLW player Georgie Clark and former player and new AFLNT Hall of Fame Inductee Matthew Stokes joined in the two games of football and clinics.
50 students attended from the very remote homeland communities of Dhalinbuy, Garrthalala, Wandawuy, Gan Gan and Yilpara which was a wonderful celebration of their culture and coming together of communities to bond over their love of Australian Rules Football.
The GanGan Traditional Owners also put on a ceremonial Bungull dance for the visitors in the evening which everyone joined in the celebrations and was greatly appreciated by all.
Students from the Laynhapuy Homeland Communities will make the three-hour trip into Gove and fly to Darwin in the coming weeks to attend the Michael Long Learning and leadership Centre. These will be the first students from a homeland region to attend the camp, and for most students this will be the first time on a plane and in Darwin.
