by Janine Hill

A THREE-day indigenous rugby league carnival at Nambour starting this Friday night has been described as modern-day corroboree. 

The Sunshine Coast Bunyas indigenous rugby league carnival will be held for the third time at the Nambour Crushers Ground over 9, 10 and 11 February.

The carnival has attracted indigenous teams from as far away as Sydney and Cunnamulla, as well as local teams.

Bunyas president Brad Beetson, son of rugby league great Arthur ‘Artie’ Beetson, said the sport brought the indigenous community together.

“Probably the first sport where indigenous people could play alongside of white people – because in those days, it was like an apartheid – was rugby league,” he said.

“My father, Arthur Beetson, was the first indigenous man to captain an Australian team. 

“Rugby league means a lot to our people. If you go to any funeral, you see a rugby league jersey on the coffin.

“For thousands of years, we got together at corroboree. This is a modern day corroboree where people get together and you see all the families.”

The carnival will kick off on Friday evening about 5pm with a welcome to country and fire ceremony before a masters match pitching the Sunshine Coast All Stars against an Indigenous All Stars team.

The teams will play for the first time for the Shannon Chilli shield, made by locals Lyndon Davis and Gavin Hazel in memory of well-known local Shannon, who died last year.

The Friday night opener will be an alcohol-free and smoke-free even with a festival atmosphere, with market stalls, face painting, first aid demonstrations, food stalls, and fireworks after the match. Admission will be by gold coin donation.

Ten teams, including two from Sydney, two from Cherbourg, two from Tweed Heads and one from Cunnamulla will play two matches each on Saturday in a bid to make Sunday’s finals. Admissions on Saturday and Sunday is $10 but free for elders and under 16s.

Fifty volunteers have donated their time to the carnival and Brad also thanked the Nambour Crushers for the use of their facilities.

Beetson said the carnival was played competitively but in the right spirit and was still a social event.

“Even though we smash each other out there, we’re still family.”