The buzz started to build at Rod Laver Arena well before the opening match on First Nations Day at the Australian Open 2024.
The excited chatter of children, engaged through Anglicare Victoria’s Buldau Yioohgen Program meaning ‘Big Dreams’ in the language of the Wurundjeri Woiwurrung, filled the air as they had a hit of tennis on the arena’s famous blue court.
Indiana shows off the Australian Open 2024 commemorative coin.
Yorta Yorta 9-year-old Indiana said she was “a bit nervous” to be out in front of the Australian Open crowd.
“But mostly, I was excited. Usually I play basketball and AFL but it was really fun to play tennis and you don’t feel scared when there’s so many people around you if you’re playing with your friends,” she said.
Two years earlier, on the same court, Ngaragu woman and sporting icon Ash Barty AO took home the Women’s Singles title at the 2022 tournament.
“She was a really good player,” 8-year-old Neri, of Ngapuhi Māori iwi, said. “It was like, ‘wow I’m actually here’ where she was. It was really fun.”
Rod Laver Arena.
And it wasn’t the only moment in Indigenous sporting history being remembered that day.
Gunditjmara 8-year-old Aaliyah was invited to do a match coin toss, flipping the 2024 Australian Open commemorative coin celebrating 50 years since Wiradjuri sporting great Evonne Goolagong Cawley won the first of four Australian championship titles between 1974 and 1977.
“On one side it’s Evonne, on the other it’s the AO and players pick a side,” she said. “It’s going to feel good. I’m excited.”
Welcome to Country.
Tennis Victoria’s Jon Watson said First Nations Day at the Australian Open was always a special one.
“The partnership between Tennis Victoria and Buldau Yioohgen has been amazing with the Culture on Court events we run in regional Victoria culminating in today’s event at Melbourne Park,” he said.
“Some are here trying tennis for the first time, and we have First Nations ball kids, there’s the cultural walks and the artwork.
“It’s about using tennis as a way of getting people together to share culture, experiences and stories.”
Tennis Victoria’s Jon Watson and Yorta Yorta Buldau Yioohgen Leadership Academy graduate Tahlia.
Yorta Yorta woman and graduate of the Buldau Yioohgen Leadership Academy in 2023, 18-year-old Tahlia, gained employment at the Open through the program. She agreed it was a day for people to deepen their understanding of First Nations culture.
“It means a lot going through the Buldau Yioohgen program. At first, I wasn’t very culturally connected, but I’ve learned so much and I can take that now and share it with others,” she said.
“It’s pretty cool to be able to work on First Nations Day sharing my culture with patrons and people, and get the word out about what it means to us.”
Read more about Buldau Yioohgen, Anglicare Victoria’s Indigenous Youth Leadership Academy, here.
