DARREN MONCRIEFF
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
WHAT would a visit to Melbourne during the footy season be without a trip to the MCG? Well, football fans have yet another reason to visit the spiritual home of the Australian game, if only for a peek at the National Sports Museum.
There, until July 17, is a display featuring the history and place football has in the life of the Tiwi people who live on two islands in the Arafura Sea, 80km north of Darwin.
Named after the 2007 documentary-style photographic book, "Yiloga! Tiwi Footy", the display 'explores the influence and importance' footy has on Tiwi culture, and it's positive impact on the lives of the almost 3000 people on the islands.
The Tiwi has provided some of the game's most remarkable footballers, from pioneer David Kantilla to Maurice Rioli, and the many that have dominated Northern Territory football.
The walkthrough display, by Artback NT's Arts Development and Touring division, features guernseys, cups, boots and photos of players in the Tiwi Islands Football League and many of the Tiwi players in the AFL, including Hawthorn's Cyril Rioli and former Geelong and Adelaide forward Ronnie Burns, among others. Also featured are the Tiwi Bombers, which joined the Darwin-based NTFL in 2007.
Principal photographer of the 2007 book of the same name, Monica Napper, was pleased at the attention given to Tiwi footy.
"From the first game I saw on the islands it just took my breath away," she said from Darwin. "I've seen many, many sports worldwide, but this was something else. As with the book, I hope the exhibition makes people think a different way towards Aboriginal people."
Napper and collaborator Peter Eve's photos enhance the display with several, significant football-related items on loan. For example, former Essendon player, and Tiwi man, Dean Rioli, has lent his 1997 AFL Rising Star award and 1995 Player of the Future medal from the South Fremantle Football Club.
"Football is the lifeblood of these communities; it's terrific to see the Tiwi football league and its players represented at the home of football in Melbourne, the MCG."
Curator at the NSM, Helen Walpole, said "Yiloga", which means "footy" in the Tiwi language, has proved popular with visitors.
"It has had a great response from visitors and from the media," she said. "Many visitors make a bee-line for the big screen which shows the 2011 Tiwi Islands footy league grand final, and kids love seeing Cyril Rioli's premiership guernsey.
"This is the first exhibition shown in the NSM's three-year lifetime that has focussed specifically on Indigenous footy. However, there are lots of areas of the museum's permanent display that look at Indigenous sport, including Michael Long, Vic Thorp, 'Polly' Farmer and Gavin Wanganeen in the Australian Football Hall of Fame."
Following its three-month run at the NSM, the Tiwi footy exhibition moves to the Tandanya National Aboriginal Cultural Institute in Adelaide from August 15 to September 25, before its final display at Parliament House in Darwin from October 19 to December 13.
Afterwards, all items will be returned to the Tiwi people. It is hoped a permanent display will be created for a similar exhibition on the islands.
AboriginalFootball@westnet.com.au
Last Modified on 24/06/2011 12:40