Indigenous Cricket Australia advisor wants Australia Day match despite Ash Gardner criticism
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A member of Cricket Australia’s indigenous advisory committee insists a match must be played on Australia Day, despite criticism from all-round star Ash Gardner, who said having to play on January 26 “didn’t sit well with him”. .
As the Australian women’s side prepares to play on the national holiday and the country plunges into another fierce debate over whether to celebrate on January 26, indigenous advocate Justin Mohamed has had his say.
The man Gooreng Gooreng, who has had a distinguished career in Aboriginal justice and reconciliation, is a member of Cricket Australia’s Indigenous Advisory Committee (NATSICAC).
After Gardner criticized January 26, the date the First Fleet arrived in Sydney, as a day celebrating “genocide, massacre and dispossession” on Sunday, Mohamed expressed a different opinion.
Indigenous cricket star Ash Gardner recently posted a defiant message saying he did not want to have to play on Australia Day as it celebrates “genocide, massacre and dispossession”.
While he praised Sydney Sixers sensation Gardner for the courage he displayed in posting the divisive statement on social media, Mohamed believes in a different approach.
‘Right now the debate is about celebrating Australia Day on the 26th, should that happen? Shouldn’t it happen? Should the date be changed to have a date that is more inclusive? But the 26th will continue to be a very important date in Australian history and what happened on that day,’ he said. the aussie.
“As an Aboriginal I wouldn’t want to lose the importance of what 26 is and what it played in Australian history.
“A sporting event or at an event like an international game could provide a platform to provide education, the true story of what happened and so that people don’t forget the meaning of the day,” said Mohamed, who emphasized that he was not speaking. for the rest of the members of NATSICAC.
A member of Cricket Australia’s indigenous advisory committee, Justin Mohamed, believes the games should be played on Australia Day, despite some objections from players.
Indigenous star Ash Gardner, the No. 1 ranked T20 all-rounder in the world, smashes her trademark sweeping shot in a WBBL match for the Sixers.
The West Indies are set to travel to Australia again for next summer’s season, and Mohamed said it could be an opportunity to educate them, and the Australian side, about First Nations people.
The NATSICAC meets every year to discuss programming.
Both the BBL and WBBL now have indigenous rounds, while before each home series the Australian side, of both genders, stand in a barefoot circle with their opponents to acknowledge the traditional owners of the land.
The West Indies got in on that at the start of the November Test series, before taking a knee before each game to acknowledge their own battle to combat racism.
Players from the West Indies and Australia take part in a barefoot circle ahead of the Test series between the two sides in November. The indigenous practice has now become commonplace in Australian cricket.
There are no BBL matches scheduled for Thursday, just the Australian women’s team’s second T20 match against Pakistan.
While Mohamed clearly believes that playing cricket can be a valuable experience for Australians of all backgrounds, Gardner is defiant in his opposition to the idea.
The 25-year-old, whose mother and ancestors hail from northwestern New South Wales, will play on January 26 in the second game of the series but said she “didn’t like him”.
Ash Gardner (right, pictured before captaining the Governor General’s XI against Pakistan earlier this month) has been scathing about Cricket Australia’s decision to schedule a game on Australia Day.
‘As a proud Muruwari woman and reflecting on what January 26th means to me and my people, it is a day of grief and mourning’, world number 1. 1 rated off-roader posted to social media on Sunday.
‘For those who don’t have a good understanding of what the day means, it was the start of genocide, massacres and dispossession.
“Unfortunately, this year, the Australian women’s cricket team was scheduled to play a match on January 26, which certainly doesn’t sit well with me as an individual, but also with everyone I represent.”
“When I take the field for this game, I will certainly be reflecting and thinking about all my ancestors and the lives of the people who have changed since this day.”
Muruwari woman, Ash Gardner, started doing indigenous spot paintings during Covid so she could learn and experience more of their culture.
It was a combative response to Cricket Australia scheduling an Australia Day international, although it is widely believed that this was simply to ensure that the final match of the three-match series could take place on a Sunday.
The game’s governing body, which has introduced a number of pro-Indigenous policies and practices in recent years, acknowledged that January 26 could be a traumatic date for First Nations peoples.
“Cricket Australia recognizes that January 26 is a day that has multiple meanings and evokes mixed feelings in communities across our rich and diverse nation,” a statement from the organization read.
His claims were somewhat supported by Australian legend Jason Gillespie, who was the first indigenous male Test player.
A veteran of 71 Tests, Gillespie is now a highly regarded coach with the Adelaide Strikers and South Australia, and the Kamilaroi man is also an advocate for indigenous peoples.
Proud Aboriginal man Jason Gillespie, pictured in Striker’s Aboriginal training shirt, believes January 26 should not be celebrated
“I would prefer a day where all Australians can celebrate,” Gillespie said. news corporation on Sunday.
“What many people don’t realize is that history shows that Australia Day has not always been celebrated on January 26. Talks need to continue to explore an alternative.”
For their part, Australia captain Meg Lanning and the entire Australian team are clearly behind Gardner and “embrace her” as the old sporting cliché goes.
The team will wear their indigenous jersey and carry out a series of indigenous initiatives on match day in Hobart, while they will also go on a “cultural tour” of Tasmania on Wednesday, no doubt to learn more about the tragic history of indigenous people at Apple. Island.
Lanning said it was never about Gardner boycotting the game, no matter how strong he felt, and that the team was proud of his leadership for First Nations peoples.
Sydney Sixers and Perth Scorchers WBBL players form a Barefoot Indigenous Circle, an initiative Ash Gardner helped introduce
‘She (Gardner) is doing pretty well. Obviously, expressing her feelings and her views on the subject is a brave step, ”said the recently returned boss before the first.
‘She has been a great leader in our group and also in the community on issues First Nations people face.
“She has given us an incredible perspective on the impact the day has on First Nations people. I think she’s been very brave, and we’ll go out and play and do what we can control.’
The Australian captain said the team would take the opportunity to learn more about indigenous culture and that he strongly supported Gardner’s wish not to play on Australia Day.
Meg Lanning (right) celebrates a wicket with Ash Gardner (left) in the third game of Australia’s ODI series against Pakistan. The Australian captain said the team was just behind their indigenous star.
We had a lot of discussions as a group about the game on January 26. I would like to say that we fully support Ash and his stance and his feelings and views on it,” Lanning told reporters.
“It’s something we can’t control in terms of scheduling and play on that day, but one thing we would like to do is acknowledge the sadness and grief that day brings to First Nations people.
‘We’re going to try to take the opportunity we have to educate ourselves and try to create a better understanding of what it means and its culture. It’s a very united front in the group and we all support Ash and his feelings throughout the day,” Lanning said.
Australia’s three-match T20 series against Pakistan kicks off today ahead of the Australia Day clash, with the final match being played on Sunday in Canberra.