IN CELEBRATION of the AFLW's Indigenous Round, Narrm and Hawthorn have participated in a cultural gift exchange. 

The two teams met on Yidinji Country in Cairns on Thursday night as part of the opening game of the special two-week period, honouring the culture and history of the league’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players.  

Following a Welcome to Country from Gimuy Walubarra Yidinji Elder Uncle Henry, Narrm's vice-captain Tyla Hanks was joined by Hawthorn captain Emily Bates and Hawthorn Indigenous players Kaitlyn Ashmore and Mattea Breed, where the four took park in the special pre-game moment.

The Dees gifted the Hawks a coolamon created by Garth Murgha, a Gungandji man who handcrafts traditional Aboriginal artefacts and works out of his family business based in Babinda in Queensland.  

Narrm received from Hawthorn a coolamon and clapsticks. The gift was cut and collected from Kooma country by Kooma and Kunja man, Rhan Hooper. 

The coolamon can be used for different things such as gathering food, smoking ceremonies, crushing ocher and the large coolamon are used for carrying babies.

Clapsticks are made from a Mulga tree and used in dancing ceremonies.