The red and blue of the Laharum Football Netball Club will take on a special meaning this weekend as the club prepares to host its inaugural Indigenous Round.
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The Demons will wear a special Indigenous guernsey designed by proud Wotjobaluk woman Kenita Lee McCartney on Saturday, June 1, as part of National Reconciliation Week.
Club secretary Rowena Doyle said the club was proud to celebrate football's storied Indigenous history in the region.
"We believe because the Grampians is the location of the origins of our national game, this round will acknowledge not only the history of the game, but the traditional owners of the land," she said.
"We have chosen this time to conduct the game during National Reconciliation week."
The club collaborated with Ms McCartney to design uniforms, medals and a perpetual trophy, which will be awarded following the round eight HDFNL clash with Natimuk United at Cameron Oval.
![Laharum FNC's Shannon Argall, Rebecca McIntryre and Hamish Roberts display the Indigenous guernseys, designed by Wotjobaluk woman Kenita Lee McCartney, which will be worn on June 1. Picture supplied Laharum FNC's Shannon Argall, Rebecca McIntryre and Hamish Roberts display the Indigenous guernseys, designed by Wotjobaluk woman Kenita Lee McCartney, which will be worn on June 1. Picture supplied](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/ben.fraser/0fee2393-c755-4db5-8701-4bfcf8694a4f_rotated_270.jpg/r0_1093_3024_3480_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"[The design is] a celebration of solidarity, connection and unity through the love of the game," Ms McCartney said.
"It tells a story of people coming together from different places and cultures, uniting as one for a shared future playing the game.
"The circle in the centre represents the football netball club, and the arch-sharped symbols represents the people that make up the Laharum FN Club, the line work represents the outline of Gariwerd, a sacred place."
Ms Doyle added the event presents an invaluable opportunity to raise awareness of Indigenous peoples and celebrate the origins of the national game.
"The Grampians (Gariwerd) holds a special place in the hearts of our community, and we are acutely aware of its significance to the Wotjobaluk people," she said.
"We wish to use this event as a platform to recognise and pay our respects to the indigenous culture that enriches the history of our region.
"The proximity of our home ground in Laharum to Gariwerd provides a unique opportunity for us to engage with the community, learn from the Traditional Owners, and celebrate the rich heritage of the area."
Ms Doyle said the club partnered with the Natimuk United FNC due to its close proximity to Mount Arapiles (Dyuritte) and the profound importance of both Dyuritte and Gariwerd to the Wotjobuluk people.
A perpetual trophy will be awarded to the club that wins the most netball and football games on the day, with the most valuable player for Senior Football and A-grade Netball awarded medals.