By David Nagel
Reconciliation Week means so much to so many and Casey Demons Netball is embracing the opportunity to celebrate the culture of our first nations people.
The Demons will proudly wear a specially-designed indigenous dress during Reconciliation Week, for NAIDOC Round, and selected matches during the remaining rounds of the Victorian Netball League season.
The Demons wore the dress for the first time on Wednesday evening.
The dress was designed by Melbourne AFLW player Krstel Petrevski, a proud Indigenous woman from the Kija/Jaru tribe.
Petrevski spoke to the Casey Demons squad during Reconciliation Week to share the meaning and story behind the artwork that features on the dress.
Petrevski shared her experiences growing up in remote Western Australia and how she made the journey through the football pathway to Melbourne AFLW.
Casey Demons Netball VNL President and Operations Manager Rebekah Bogos said the club was excited and proud to play a part in Reconciliation Week.
“Casey Demons Netball, in partnership with Casey Netball, is committed to building our cultural awareness and education of our first nation’s people,” Bogos said.
Demons 19-under player Holly Stephens was also grateful to be part of the experience.
“I feel extremely proud and excited to pull on this dress,” Stephens said.
“I feel proud to be in a competition that has a round to celebrate first nations culture, and I think it’s a great platform for people to become educated and ask questions.
“I feel so grateful to be at a club where my culture is celebrated.
“Although I have been involved in Indigenous rounds before, I’ve never had the opportunity to wear an indigenous-designed dress during these rounds…so it makes it even more special.”
And as a proud Ngarigo monero and Dunghutti athlete, who lives on gunai Kurnai land, Anna Solomon is proud of her club for showing such respect.
“For the girls to wear this dress I think it’s such a great display of community and connection to our first nations culture,” Solomon said.
“Having such a beautiful dress designed in our club colours, I feel extremely proud and excited to see the recognition shown through the sport and club I play for.
“I feel honoured to be at the club during the first Reconciliation Week and VNL NAIDOC Round.”
