I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Aunty Donna Ingram, an Elder of the Redfern Aboriginal Community, during Global Rhythms 2016. I was about to MC for the first time a Music Festival in Australia so I had no idea on how to introduce a culture representative from aboriginal communities. Aunty Donna was kind to explain to me few things that I was aching to learn since my arrival in Australia. I told her that I was interested in learning more about her culture.

That’s when she explained to me that before the arrival of British colonisers in 1788, there were over 500 different clan groups or ‘nations’ around the continent, many with distinctive cultures, beliefs and languages. The Indigenous peoples of the land, the First Australians, inhabited the whole of Australia. Today, Aboriginal people make up 2.4 per cent of the total Australian population. She explained the history and importance of Welcome to Country or Acknowledgement of Country (see image below).

Aunty Donna then invited me to come celebrate on Friday the 30th of September 2016, the start of the Knockout at the Block at Redfern Community Centre. She said it would be a good start for me to learn and immerse myself with her community. Aunty Donna told me that I could share this event with you, Eastsider’s.

WHAT IS THE KNOCKOUT? 
The New South Wales Aboriginal Rugby League Knockout began in Sydney in 1971. The Knockout, often described as a ‘modern day Corroboree’ draws teams and supporters from Ballina to Bega along the coast and west to Bourke. The Knockout is a four-day carnival of fiercely contested, tough, world class Rugby League, where victory is cited as a lifetime highlight for players and communities. But it’s far more than a sporting event. It has importance as a cultural vehicle and event for Aboriginal social and cultural expression. The Knockout is reminiscent of a four-day traditional ceremonial dance and celebration and enables new social and cultural practices to emerge; it is an opportunity for families to gather, reunite as a community and barrack for their hometown and mob, to relive past glories and to remember those who have passed on.

For most of the 45-year history of the Knockout it has been organised by the winning team community. Involving teams of volunteers, often with limited experience of organizing an event of this scale and significance. The event features a four day sporting and cultural event held over the October long weekend each year attracting over 60,000 people to the host city. The competition includes women and juniors. The juniors include U 12s so as to include girls and boys and the U15s and U 17s so as to provide opportunities for selection and talent scouts.

Hosting the Knockout is therefore an important opportunity for a community to not only showcase, with immense pride, local talent and skills on and off the field, but also to build community capacity and develop leadership. The event promotes keeping Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people fit and healthy, it is tobacco and alcohol free; and provides business opportunities for Indigenous entrepreneurs and local business. Live coverage on the National Indigenous Television of the final days of competition has brought a new level of interest and opportunities for hosting the Knockout. Source: https://rabko2016.org.au

Come and celebrate the start of the Knockout at the Block! Enjoy some live entertainment by “uncle Vic Simms” 2016, KO Program, Free BBQ and many more.

Where: Redfern Community Centre

When: Friday’ September 30th 2016

Time: 5pm to 8pm

If you would like to uncover the secrets of Australia’s 500 nations, here’s an app that might be useful. www.welcometocountry.mobi