A Tasmanian school has held an AFL match and Indigenous cultural celebration to commemorate NAIDOC week.

Known as "Dreamtime at the P", students from north-west Tasmania's Parklands High School participated in the cultural event designed to recognise the contribution that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities have made to the game of football.

The annual match was initiated by the school's Aboriginal Education Officer Guy Grey, who was inspired by the AFL's "Dreamtime at the G" fixture which is held as part of Sir Doug Nicholls Round.

"It's probably the first thing I did in the school that celebrated culture", he said.

Now in its sixth year, the event highlights the relationship between the game and Indigenous Australia by connecting sporting students to Indigenous culture.

Players represented team Johnson (Lions guernseys) and team Rioli (Hawks guernseys).

Teams were selected from both Indigenous and non-Indigenous high school aged boys from the school's P.E classes, each named after an influential Indigenous AFL player.

This year's teams were named after Brisbane Lions' defender and three-time premiership player Chris Johnson and Hawthorn's four-time premiership forward Cyril Rioli.

Female students were also involved in the cultural festivities, painting the faces of players and spectators with ochre to represent connection to country.

Mr Grey then held a smoking ceremony, which is designed to cleanse and ward off bad spirits.

"The boys love getting smoked up, they love having ochre and just playing a game", he said.

"But the game is probably the least of it to be honest, its more so the cultural experience that they get."

Along with a smoking ceremony and the use of

Students had ochre applied to their faces preceding the match.

ochre, Tasmanian Indigenous artefacts such as animal skins, kelp water carriers and clapsticks were introduced and on display.

Students are also educated about the influence Tasmanian Indigenous players have had in professional Australian rules football.

There was a strong focus on Tasmanian Indigenous VFL player Uncle Derek Peardon, who was a trailblazer of Tasmanian Indigenous football in the 1960's and 70's.

More recent Tasmanian Indigenous AFL representatives were also discussed, including former Melbourne Demon, West Coast Eagle and current Gold Coast Suns assistant coach Andy Lovell.

Mr Grey said the AFL's cultural awareness programs were having a significant impact on the next generation.

A smoking ceremony was held as part of the pre-game ceremony

"The biggest thing with Sir Doug Nicholls round is that the kids can learn cultural stories just by going on a website and reading about the jumpers", he said.

Cultural awareness is at the forefront of mind at Parklands High School, with the 95 Indigenous students able to access the school's cultural hub.

"The cultural hub encompasses the whole community", Grey said.

"We're trying to get parents of students who identify involved so that parents can learn and work and be educated.

"It's a good safe spot."

There are currently 101 contracted players on AFL and AFLW lists (81 male and 20 female), five of which are Tasmanian.

Fremantle's Alex Pearce (tommeginne), North Melbourne's Matthew McGuinness (pinterrairer), Essendon's Cody Brand (plangermaireener), St Kilda's Marcus Windhager (plangermaireener) and North Melbourne's Tarry Thomas (lumaranatana) are the current players on AFL lists with Tasmanian Indigenous heritage.