This upcoming weekend marks the inaugural Reconciliation Round for Hockey ACT, to be celebrated from Thursday 26 to Sunday 29 May.

At the end of 2021, Hockey ACT announced to its membership four Rounds of Significance to be celebrated and recognised throughout 2022: Reconciliation Round, Livin for Hockey Mental Health Round, Pride Round and the Chris MacKinnon Memorial Round. Each round was to signify an area that Hockey ACT is focused on learning and expanding inclusion practices for the community.

To deliver meaningful action for the Reconciliation Round Hockey ACT formed the Hockey ACT Reconciliation Action Committee which is made up of Hockey ACT community members, players, staff, and Board representatives. The committee’s purpose is to assist the organisation in the planning and delivery of the Reconciliation Round and to celebrate the contribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the Hockey community.

Part of the Committee are siblings Garry and Tarran Backhus. As proud Wiradjuri people and passionate hockey players it was important for them to see the hockey community committing to Reconciliation. Whilst playing for rival clubs on the Hockey field, both Tarran and Garry Backhus come together off the field to ensure the culture, stories and contribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community is celebrated. The siblings are members of North Canberra Eagles and Wests Hockey clubs respectively. Both clubs will be playing the feature Capital League 1 games on Saturday 28 May wearing jerseys featuring artwork by artist and proud Yuin woman Rheanna Lotte.  The artwork was specifically designed for both clubs for 2022. Garry is a member of the Wests Capital League team and has timed his return from injury to make sure he is available for this significant round.

“It is an honour to play in the inaugural Hockey ACT Reconciliation Round, it means so much to my family to pay respects to our culture and to share this with the Hockey ACT community,” Backhus said.

To further celebrate the round, cultural gatherings will take place around the feature games including a Welcome to Country, two Smoking Ceremonies and a Didgeridoo performance conducted by local Aboriginal Elders. An Acknowledgement of Country video was also filmed in the leadup to the round highlighting Hockey ACT’s commitment to Reconciliation. The video filmed by Andy Scarano, will be played at the beginning of the round and at future Canberra Chill games and VIP functions.

Hockey ACT also commissioned an Aboriginal artwork by hockey member and Wiradjuri woman Rechelle Turner who encapsulated the many wonderful aspects of the sport and reflected on her connection to the hockey community.

“I feel especially privileged to be asked by Hockey ACT to create an artwork for Reconciliation. Hockey has been a huge part of my life growing up …so I feel incredibly honoured to create an artwork to represent Hockey ACT’s commitment to Reconciliation. It is a visual reminder that reconciliation is everybody’s business and whilst celebrating and ensuring that the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in our Hockey community are truly visible,” she said. Rechelle’s artwork will feature on all visual aspects over the weekend and will be on display at the Hockey Centre permanently.

The Reconciliation Round will be seen as a benchmark for Hockey ACT in what can be done regarding education and support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in our community moving forward.

Hockey ACT’s 2022 Reconciliation Round will be held 26th-29th May, 2022.

Feature game and cultural elements:

• 1:20pm Smoking Ceremony
• 1:40pm Women’s Capital League 1 Game: NCE v St Pats
• 3:00pm Welcome to Country
• Smoking Ceremony
• Didgeridoo
• 3:30pm Men’s Capital League 1 Game: Wests v St Pats

All feature events will be livestreamed on the Hockey ACT Facebook Page and on LIVEHockey.com.au. For full round results: https://www.hockeyact.org.au/games/

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