Our league and club committees regularly discuss what we can do and how we can do it in a culturally appropriate manner. This document aims to provide ideas and suggestions for possible events or recognition ceremonies and guidance on how best to work with your local Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities to ensure that they are culturally appropriate.

What can you do - LEAGUE/ASSOCIATION

• Build rapport & relationships with local Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities & elders.
• Engage with your local Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community to identify a region-specific language name for the round for local promotion.
• Proactively seek out local media engagement.
• Hold a Welcome to Country or Acknowledgement of Country and/or Smoking Ceremony before the game.
• Pre-game messaging (anti-racism & arm in arm)
• Post-game initiatives (Traditional food options and/or using local Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander businesses)
• Include association in conversation to approve any jumper or ball designs. 

What can you do - CLUB 

• Involve your Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander players, families, and elders in the process of selecting significant dates.
• Hold a Welcome to Country or Acknowledgement of Country. 
• Smoking Ceremony before the game.
• Traditional dance performance
• Local elders should share their stories.
• Paint the circle of the Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander flag (check with LGA).
• Hold a flag-raising ceremony.
• Work with local Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander artists to produce artwork.
• Produce a club statement for your round
• Include the opposition club in the conversation around your celebrations or advise them on activities in advance. 
• Half-time event or activity.
• Wearing black, red & yellow tape as armbands.
• Have Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander players as captains for the day / to toss the coin.
• Organise a gift exchange with the other club.
  • Example: Painted football, painted boomerang, etc. 
• Design a Jumper, club polo or training top.
  • Invite an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community member to design a jumper for your Team/Club. The design will be up to the artist; this must be approved by the Club and the artist/Family. The artist of the jumper will need to be of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent. It is also important to capture and share the story behind the artist's artwork. For example, tell us about your design, why you chose it, and how it celebrates the round.
• Provide education resources for players, staff, volunteers, parents, and other spectators.
  • For example, Have Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander players or their families talk to the playing group about the significance of the round or hold a cultural awareness session.
• Pre-game messaging (anti-racism & arm in arm) 
  • Example: Today, we celebrate Reconciliation Round, NAIDOC Round or Indigenous Round, embracing the history, culture, and achievements of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples. We also stand here united today against racism of any kind. This stance symbolises that we will not tolerate racism in our game, in any form, and we will call it out whenever we encounter it. This is a responsibility that we must all share."
• Post-game initiatives 
  • Example: Traditional food options and/or using local Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander businesses.