Jervois footballers travel to remote NT community for carnival
The Yidiyi Festival gives residents of Wadeye an opportunity to get together and heal past differences – and play some footy, too.
This story was contributed by Michelle Hill.
A group of Jervois footballers and coaching staff have returned from a volunteer trip to Wadeye, a remote Indigenous community in the Northern Territory.
Those who went were president and league player Zane Barry, player-coach Taite Silverlock, players Casey Robins and Bienfait Bigazi, and assistant coaches Shane Radbone and Jackson Kluske.
They flew out to Wadeye from Darwin for the Yidiyi Festival, where they were taken to the medical centre and given a rundown of the history and issues Wadeye faces.
Among the diseases is rheumatic heart disease, which is a preventable disease directly related to poverty.
The Jervois contingent went with current Crows player Luke Pedlar and former Crow turned player manager Michael Doughty.
They all went up to help run and play in a football carnival, but through the football they went into the community to try and get as many people as possible to go to the clinic and get tests and medical check-ups.
One of the challenges they face is just getting people to get tested for preventable diseases that exist.
The football talent was undeniable in the kids, girls and men alike.
The Jervois players joined in and played two games on Wednesday night and two on Thursday night, then played in the grand final on Friday.
Barry and Bigazi played in the winning Cats team, while Silverlock and Robins played in the losing Bombers team.
Kluske was a great goal umpire while Radbone showed his umpiring skills and Pedlar provided much-needed hydration.
They were lucky enough to be taken out to country, where they learned about some of the local traditions and went to a hill which was used as a base for the defense of Darwin against bombing by Japanese aircraft during World War II.
They attended a music festival headlined by J-Milla, a popular rapper, supported by some great local bands as well as traditional dancing.
They were also instructed in traditional dancing by a local elder, Pasquale, but the lads decided they were better footballers than dancers.
They had a great trip and would like to thank the locals of Wadeye for accommodating them, as well as Jake Clark and Bill of Wadeye for their hospitality and Radbone for making it all possible.
