Booroongen Djugun winners will host next year's Elders Olympics

On Thursday, May 4, some 300 Aboriginal and Torres strait Islander Elders Elders came together in Nelson Bay for a series of friendly but fierce sporting contests.

The event is believed to be the largest gathering of Indigenous Elders in NSW, and sees participants take part in a series of traditional Aboriginal games such as Gorri and Kee An, as well as old favourites like quoits, bean bag throwing, hockey and an egg and spoon race.

The Elders and their supporters from more than 28 nations including Dunghutti, Biripi, Awabakal, Darkinjung, Gumbangiir, Gandangara and Gamilaroi, plus a team of 30 students from local schools who volunteered to help, participated in the 2023 Elders Olympics.

It was hosted this year by Worimi team and 2021 winners the Indigeco Elders from Karuah.

Worimi are no strangers to winning and hosting the Elders Olympics, with all four Worimi nation teams joking on the day to "take it slow" as to not win so they could visit a new location in 2024.

Worimi woman Aunty Margo Beavan is a regular participant of the Olympics, and says part of the fun in participating is to "visit different towns".

"I've been to a few of these now. We're hoping to go go somewhere else, give someone else a go, next year," she said.

Aunty Margo got her wish with Kempsey's Booroongen Djugen Elders taking out the gold medal, making them the hosts for 2024.

Executive Manager of Service Delivery at Booroongen Djugun Limited, Kylie O'Bryan, said everyone at the Community Care Service is still "extremely proud of the Elders" and are "still lost for words".

Ms O'Bryan says the win has lifted spirits of the community who has undergone "significant grief and loss" in the recent months.

"We've lost significant Elders and significant young people within our Aboriginal community.

"For [the Elders] to win it and bring it back to Dunghutti country is pretty amazing... and empowers us all to keep moving forward," she said.

"It really brought spirit home".

Initially they had 40 Elders from Booroongen Djugun registered to participate, but "due to losses and chronic sickness", they were only able to send approximately 18 Elders making the winning title "pretty special", says Ms O'Bryan.

The event aligned with this year's NAIDOC theme; 'For Our Elders'

"It highlights why we need to cherish and absolutely look after our Elders," said Ms O'Bryan.

Booroongen Djugun Limited are excited to host next year's Olympics, with the Elders eager to start planning and consultation.

Ms O'Bryan says that while Booroongen Djugun Limited will support, assist and facilitate the event, it will be the Elders who will lead it.

"It's our Elders who will actually lead what their desires and what their wishes are for how the hosting of the 2024 Olympics is and what it looks like," she said.

Ms O'Bryan says Elders are the "heart and soul" of the jobs for the 127 staff at Booroongen.

"For them to experience all the grief and sorry business and hardship that they have in the last 6 to 10 months, for them to go away and bring [the win] home...we were pretty speechless."

Ms O'Bryan said she was video-called by the Elders and staff to announce they'd won.

"I actually thought something was wrong...they were screaming at me and yelling at me to say that they'd won.

"It was pretty exciting."

NSW Aboriginal Land councillor Abie Wright, who attended the Elders Olympics, said the event is a great way to promote health, fitness and emotional wellbeing.

"Elders are the bedrock and lifeblood of our community, you have been through the struggles and hardship, you have laid the foundation for our future, and the paths we all can walk today," he said.

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