MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – Aunty Joy Murphy Wandin, a senior Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Elder, has criticized the Melbourne Storm rugby league club for apologizing for cancelling her pre-game Welcome to Country ceremony earlier this year, citing the club’s links to Advance Australia, which organized a vigorous No campaign during the Voice referendum.
Aunty Joy was scheduled to perform the ceremony at the ANZAC Day match in Melbourne, but it was scrapped at the last minute, leaving her and the associated dancers and cultural groups feeling disrespected.
Despite the club’s apology, Aunty Joy claims she has not been able to reach a resolution with the board, which she believes supports organizations that incite racial vilification and division.
Board members cannot support organizations that create harm to our people, Aunty Joy stated.
As a proud Aboriginal woman and community Elder, I carry a deep responsibility to community and will not compromise my integrity.
We are willing to continue to work with Melbourne Storm to address the deep community concerns, but we cannot endorse any official functions or cultural work until measures are put in place to ensure cultural respect and safety for all.
Djirri Djirri dancer and Wurundjeri woman Ky-ya Nicholson-Ward expressed similar sentiments, stating that the group terminated its relationship with the club after the disrespect shown towards Aunty Joy and the racism and cultural unsafety they have witnessed at the board level.
Despite her concerns about the club, Aunty Joy has announced that she will attend the Indigenous Round match on Thursday evening, showing support for the game and for the players.
This is about the board, not the game, she emphasized.
This is about setting a standard not just for Melbourne Storm but across all sporting codes.
Melbourne Storm announced their intention to perform an Acknowledgement of Country for the Indigenous Round, stating that it presents an opportunity to not only honor the contribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players who have worn the purple jersey, but also the club’s commitment to creating an environment that respects and celebrates First Nations cultures – not just during Indigenous Round, but throughout the year.
Aunty Joy’s decision to attend the match has been commended by Māori community group representatives, who said it is a generous decision, choosing to support the players and fans despite how she was treated.
As Māori community group representatives, we believe it is our responsibility to always stand in solidarity with those of this land, especially when cultural ceremony is dismissed and when the integrity of an Elder is called into question.
We will continue to do so until we are assured that genuine, lasting change is being made at the executive level of the Melbourne Storm, to the satisfaction of Aunty Joy, Ky-ya, and their community.