Indigenous Nationals kicks off a festival of sport celebrating indigenous culture

UniSport Media Release

For release: 23 June 2022

UniSport Australia (UniSport) in partnership with the Queensland Institute of Technology (QUT) will host the 26th Indigenous Nationals presented by bp on the land of the Turrbal and Yugara people from 26 to 30 June 2022.

The Indigenous Nationals connects Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through sport, promoting positive role models, health, fitness, and wellbeing. The event will host over 400 student-athletes and staff in four sports across four days.

Commencing with an opening ceremony on Sunday 26 June, participants will play Basketball, Netball, Touch Football, and Volleyball to determine the overall champion university for 2022.

UniSport Chief Executive Officer, Mark Sinderberry explains that the Indigenous Nationals is a significant event on the calendar that brings together student-athletes from across Australia to compete and socialise with their peers.

“UniSport Is committed to provide competition opportunities that also connects students to their universities in a meaningful way, aiming to enhance the student experience during their time at university” Sinderberry said.

QUT will host the event for the first time and has turned this event into a festival of sport, culture, and unity by incorporating the Murri Netball Carnival and the Junior Touch Carnivals during the week.

QUT Elder-in-Residence and proud Yugara man Uncle Gregory “Cheg” Egert extended a warm welcome to all those involved with the event.

“We look forward to welcoming everyone to the lands of the Turrbal and Yugara people on which QUT stands. This event will present an opportunity for us to share and celebrate our culture together as Indigenous Australians from across the nation,” Uncle Cheg said.

QUT Pro-Vice Chancellor (Indigenous Strategy), Angela Barney-Leitch said QUT was delighted at securing the hosting rights for the 26th Indigenous Nationals in Queensland.

“QUT has a long history as competitors in the Indigenous Nationals, but this will be our first time as host.

“The timing of the Indigenous Nationals coincides with the community based Murri Netball Carnival and Junior Touch Carnivals which the university sponsors as part of our existing partnership with Institute for Urban Indigenous Health and their nationally recognised ‘Deadly Choices’ brand.”

For more information on the Indigenous Nationals click here

About Indigenous Nationals

National Indigenous Tertiary Education Student Games (NITESG) began in 1996 as a joint class project between 13 students enrolled in a Diploma of Aboriginal Studies (Community Recreation) at the then Wollotuka School for Aboriginal Studies, The University of Newcastle.

Now referred to as Indigenous Nationals, the event is a week-long multisport competition for indigenous student-athletes. The annual event aims to bring together student-athletes from universities across Australia to compete in a variety of sports and crown one university team the champion of the games. Indigenous Nationals is an amazing environment to not only celebrate the rich sporting culture of indigenous Australia but to also acknowledge the heritage and history of the participating student-athletes.

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The 26th Indigenous Nationals organising committee respectfully acknowledges the Turrbal and Yugara People, the traditional owners of the land of which the event will take place.

About UniSport

UniSport Australia (UniSport) is the peak body for university sport in Australia. 43 universities are members of UniSport, representing a population of over one million students. UniSport’s ambition is to become an integral partner to Australian universities and to deliver an outstanding student experience at our national intervarsity competitions.

More information on UniSport: www.unisport.com.au

For more information please contact:

Kylie Bloodworth

Marketing and Communications Manager

Mobile: 0449 949 916

Email: kylie.bloodworth@unisport.com.au