Monday, 15 September 2008

More than 200 indigenous students from around Australia will this week compete in the 13th National Indigenous Tertiary Education Student Games at The University of Western Australia in Perth.

The event kicks off tomorrow, Tuesday 16th September 2008, with the opening ceremony at 6pm, and runs until Friday, when the finals and closing ceremony will be held.

Hosted by the Western Australian Students Aboriginal Corporation together with UWA's School of Indigenous Studies and The University of Western Australia, the games will involve 14 teams representing all four WA universities and nine interstate tertiary institutions.

Six NSW universities will take part, including University of New England, University of Wollongong and University of Newcastle, as well as Queensland University of Technology and University of Canberra.

Over the three days of competition, the teams will compete for championship cups in netball, basketball, touch, volleyball and fly, a traditional Noongar game that involves running through sticks placed on the ground.

Jeromy Harvey, from UWA's School of Indigenous Studies, said the Games provided a rare opportunity to bring together Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander university students from around the country to participate and compete at a national level and exchange cultural knowledge and experience from different regions.

"The aim of the gathering is to promote unity, a healthy lifestyle, positive interaction and friendly competition between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander tertiary students, while also giving them the opportunity to develop and maintain national networks," Mr Harvey said.

"The Games allow Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and culture to be seen in a positive light and produce role models for the community."

NB: Photographic opportunities for media will be at the following times:

  • Tuesday, September 16 from 7pm, Shenton House for the opening ceremony, which includes a traditional welcome and dance performance;
  • Wednesday, September 17 and Thursday, September 18, from 12 noon till 1pm, Riley Oval (next to University Club) for demonstration of fly.

Media references

Jeromy Harvey (UWA School of Indigenous Studies)  (+61 8)  6488 7030  /  (+61 4) 33 882 353
Janine MacDonald (UWA Public Affairs)  (+61 8)  6488 5563  /  (+61 4) 32 637 716

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