Phil Dotti, the director of the Indigenous Football Program (IFP) of the Camden Tigers, has spoken out about the unsavoury incident at Saturday night’s Australia Cup final between Macarthur FC and Sydney United.
It appeared that some fans of the state league side, which was once called Sydney Croatia, were booing during the Welcome to Country speech.
Mr Dotti, a proud Aboriginal man, said what he saw was “very sad for our people, our families and the whole community’’.
“As an Aboriginal, a custodian of the land and a football administrator, I am absolutely disgusted with this behaviour at a football game viewed around the globe,’’ he said.
“An Aboriginal woman performing a Welcome to Country – from my observation – was made to feel very uncomfortable, and she was emotional in her voice.
“People booing her, for what?
“Aboriginal land and society is not the place to cultivate hatred.
“First of all, we’re talking about an Aboriginal woman on her country being the subject of inappropriate verbal behaviour that was not warranted,’’ Mr Dotti said.
“A Welcome to Country is Aboriginal protocol, it’s putting out the door mat and opening the door for all to feel wanted and accepted on our land.
“This applies for people from all nations and cultural backgrounds, irrespective of skin colour, language, rich or poor.
“This is Aboriginal people acknowledging the presence of others.
“Aboriginal people are the owners, custodians and keepers, and that’s why these ceremonies are at the top of every public business, government office, agendas and gatherings.
“People must remember this is Aboriginal land, and our land is sacred and built upon respect, so when you ignore that you disentangle us spiritually.
“Why should the community be reminded of hideous and dreadful events bestowed upon the innocent.’’
