In the shadow of Uluru, a First Nations remote community football carnival gives rare opportunity for young women

Photo: Jeremy Story Carter. Retrieved from abc.net.au

On a luminescent green island floating atop a sea of red dirt, a scene replayed itself as if on loop.

Two young women —  ‘Kungkas’ in Pitjantjatjara — shuffled reluctantly toward a ball-up in the centre of the Yulara football ground.

Each had travelled hours, in some cases days, to be there.

Yet in that moment, there was a first day of school, don’t-get-caught-trying awkwardness.

…

Each team would represent the remote community they call home.

The sort of community that, at that very moment, was being picked apart in national debate by people thousands of kilometres away, who would likely never set foot anywhere near them.

That every player was a young First Nations woman was profound.

“These young women are trailblazers. They didn’t see their mums play footy. They haven’t seen their older sisters play footy,” said Cassie Nugent from the NPY Women’s Council.