A league of their own

17 February 2014
 
A game-changing Pacific studies camp is turning rugby league stars into leaders, writes JAMES GIGGACHER.
 
Former NRL legend Nigel Vagana. Photo by Greg Semu. They are some of the biggest names in rugby league – Tuqiri, Moimoi, Uate. But all too often commentators, the media, the public and even team mates stumble over their pronunciation. In fact, so poor is Australia’s knowledge of the Pacific that we can’t even identify the heritage of some of our heroes, let alone say their names correctly. All this is set to change.
 
In a first for Australian elite sport, more than 40 players and staff of Pacific-Islander heritage from across the National Rugby League (NRL) recently swapped the boots for the books. Superstars such as Jarryd Hayne and Lote Tuqiri (pronounced Loh-Teh Tung-geeree) attended the inaugural Pacific Studies Cultural Leadership Camp, delivered by the Pacific Studies program at ANU.
 
The camp aimed to develop NRL players of Pacific heritage as leaders in their clubs and communities, says co-convener of Pacific Studies at ANU, Dr Katerina Teaiwa.
 
“A lot of Australians don’t know anything about the Pacific Islands or its peoples, cultures and societies,” she says.
 
“Almost 30 per cent of the players currently in the NRL have Pacific heritage and it is predicted that in coming years this will rise to 50 per cent.
 
“So it’s really important that the game, its fans and the rest of Australia have a better understanding of the people and cultures of the Pacific.
 
“It’s also really important for Pacific players to be aware and proud of their cultural heritage as well as embrace the opportunities and responsibilities of being ambassadors and leaders for Pacific communities in Australia.”
 
Teaiwa adds that the camp also aimed to inspire Pacific players to get in touch with their cultural heritage, and get them learning for life.
 
“The NRL allocates a pool of funds for players to continue their education and training. What they had noticed was that, overwhelmingly, Pacific players do not make use of it,” she says.
 
“A lot of the Anglo-Australian players do; they go off and get degrees and become professionals.
 
“But the proportion of players pursuing further education, right through from the junior levels to the top-tier competition, and mirroring the statistics on Pacific youth in the community, is very low.
 
“The NRL Education and Welfare team approached ANU about ‘tackling’ the problem. Superstars like Petero Civoniceva (Thi-vo-ni-theva), a member of the NRL Pacific Council, helped inspire the camp. Former star turned NRL Education and Welfare Officer, Nigel Vagana (Vang-ah-na) – a major driving force behind Pacific cultural development in the game – was also closely involved.”
 
Over three days, the players participated in sessions on history, society and culture, leadership, literature, performing and visual arts and spirituality. The sessions were run by Teaiwa and Dr Roannie Ng Shiu, PhD scholars Nikki Mariner and Reverend Latu Latai and Darwin-based choreographer Julia Gray.
 
“The players read poetry, completed a literature workshop and presented a performance on an element of Pacific culture which they had learnt about at the camp. It was great stuff to watch,” explains Teaiwa.
 
“But, by far the most impressive thing was seeing how all the players came together by learning more about their shared Pacific histories, identities and cultural heritage.
 
“And this is what, in my mind, makes the camp so innovative; it’s about looking at the bigger picture, understanding how we are connected and how we relate to each other. I mean, where else would you see two organisations like ANU and the NRL come together?”
 
This article was first published in the Winter 2012 edition of ANU Reporter.
 

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