2024 HFC Reconciliation Action Plan-LowRes - Flipbook - Page 13
Our CLUB
Hawthorn’s involvement with Indigenous Australia dates back to 1957
when Cyril Collard became the first Aboriginal man to play for the Hawks
across 13 games over two seasons. Cyril was a pioneer who paved the
way for later generations of Indigenous stars to wear the brown and gold,
including premiership players such as Chance Bateman, Lance Franklin,
Cyril Rioli, Mark Williams and Shaun Burgoyne.
More recently the club undertook a process to learn more about cultural
safety at the club through conversations with former First Nations players
and staff. The club continues to strive to ensure culturally safety is a
priority at every level of the organisation.
In 2018, Hawthorn Football Club developed its first RAP with 96 actions identified.
Pleasingly, many commitments in our last iteration have now become core business, with some key achievements as follows:
Partnered with Deadly Choices, Common Ground, Mullum Mullum Gathering
Place and Karadi Aboriginal Medical Service
Staff and players now annually celebrate National Reconciliation Week and
participate in NAIDOC Week, and Cultural Safety Training with Garuwa is
delivered to everyone at the club
Cultural protocols are embedded across the club including the renaming
of Waverley Park to ‘Bunjil Bagora’ (Woi Wurrung language) and our
Captain’s Run to ‘Burras Yama’ (Yorta Yorta language)
Off the field, a significant moment in our history was the development of a
partnership with the Northern Territory region of Katherine in 2009 which
allowed the club to begin making a positive impact within the community.
This relationship has grown in both scale and reach over the years and is
something the club is very proud of.
Our celebration of Sir Doug Nicholls Round and AFLW Indigenous Round has
grown each year, highlighted by our Indigenous guernseys, painted boots,
cultural ceremonies and gift exchanges
Our community impact has grown through the Warowa Work Ready program,
Katherine Community Camps, Racism Stops With Me campaigns and school
attendance program
This is Hawthorn’s second RAP. It has been informed by the learnings
of the past as well as advice from internal and external First Nations
stakeholders. Through this RAP we seek to strengthen our vision for
reconciliation and continue to work with First Nations communities and
organisations.
