Celebrating Success at the 2024 Indigenous Nationals

We take great pride in celebrating our journey at the 2024 Indigenous Nationals, hosted by the University of Wollongong from 23-27 June. The Indigenous Nationals are a week-long multi-sport competition for indigenous student-athletes. The annual event aims to bring together student-athletes from universities across Australia to compete in a variety of sports and ultimately crown one university team the champion of the games. It's an amazing environment to not only celebrate the rich sporting culture of indigenous Australia but to also acknowledge the heritage and history of the participating student-athletes.

The University of Adelaide team's departure was marked by a beautiful send-off and uniform presentation on Friday, 21 July. Their journey was marked by a special cultural send-off at the Kaurna Learning Circle at the University of Adelaide North Terrace campus, fostering a sense of pride and unity amongst students and staff. 

Twelve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students from the University of Adelaide, alongside Uncle Rod O'Brien and Leesa Ashton, upheld the spirit of Wirltu Yarlu, the Kaurna name for the sea eagle who, according to Kaurna storytelling, is always striving to soar higher. Exceptional sportsmanship was displayed across this mixed sport competition including touch football, basketball, netball, and volleyball. The team wore beautifully designed uniforms that feature "The Journey," the new Wirltu Yarlu artwork by Kaurna, Ngarrindjeri, Narungga, and Wirangu artist Gabriel Stengle.

The opening ceremony featured a captivating cultural exchange with coroboree dance, where teams learned each other's dances, leaving a lasting impression on all attendees. A standout moment of the competition was the team's achievement of a silver medal in netball, highlighting their skill and determination. Placing 9th overall out of 31 teams, the University of Adelaide team consistently upheld fair play and integrity throughout the competition. We applaud your hard work and congratulate you on this achievement!

As we reflect on this success, we look forward to the 2025 Indigenous Nationals, as we continue to honour our cultural heritage through sport and education at The University of Adelaide.