Not even a downpour of rain could put the fire out during a smoking ceremony in line with the theme of the much celebrated Indigenous observance week to dampen Athletics West's inaugural NAIDOC carnival.
The one-day meet held ahead of NAIDOC Week during recent school holidays that included both Indigenous and non-Indigenous junior competitors involved not only track and field events, but the promotion of athletics and training skills by a number of leading Australian athletes.
The Bibbulman Fund that encourages, supports and inspires Aboriginal Communities across Australia coordinated the NAIDOC carnival under the direction of both West Australian Aboriginal and NAIDOC Elder of the Year Award recipient, Kim Collard.
"(NAIDOC Week) is such a premium event in the Aboriginal calendar," the Balladong/Wadjuk Elder of Noongar nation said.
"And this year's theme has been keep the fire burning.
"So it's really fantastic to see Athletics West not only celebrate this significant milestone, but to have an event to celebrate with."
The day has been more than two and a half years in the planning to ensure the first NAIDOC carnival finally got off the ground.
It concentrates on introducing grassroots Western Australian junior athletes to the elite level.
Talented Indigenous long and triple jumper, Tay-Leiha Clark, is a big supporter to hand emerging Indigenous athletes advice starting out on their journey.
The 26-year-old former World Youth Games bronze medallist from Sydney spent most of the day teaching skills in the sandpit.
"For me to learn and the kids to learn, I think it's really important to give this opportunity to the Community in such an important week which is such a special moment," Clark said.
Recent Australian Olympic Indigenous Coaching Scholarship graduate, Benjamin Catley, is a supporter of not only the NAIDOC carnival, but the Bardi man from the Kimberley region of the concept of coaching with cultural understanding producing better results.
Athletics Australia First Nations Advisory Council chairperson, Dr Rishelle Hume, is also a mother to both a talented twin daughter and son, who debuted earlier in the year at the Australian Junior Athletics Championships, has heaped praise on Catley's methods.
She can speak from first-hand experience what mentoring from First Nations role models can achieve.
"Our mob definitely has an ability to run, jump and throw, so to get them more engaged into the sport and mix with role models and ambassadors, I think, is just fantastic," the Whadjuk, the Ballardong, and the Gnaala Karla Booja woman said.
"I could see this sort of event growing each year."
Athletics West chief executive, Vince Del Prete feels his state body has an obligation to recognise contributions of First Nations people from the junior up to the senior ranks.
"I think for the future it's a fantastic springboard for us to showcase the sport of athletics and to get more Aboriginal people involved in the sport and, as we all know, they make wonderful athletes," he said.
"It's really important that we celebrate their history and their future."
An event spokesperson explained Athletics West already has a strong involvement in the Athletics Australia Outback program that predominantly involves Indigenous track and field athletes in Western Australia, while the new NAIDOC carnival has a different fulfilment.
"It was a great opportunity for us to have people come together and celebrate the very first metropolitan based activity," the spokesperson said.
"We do a lot of regional work in WA as our part of the Aboriginal community engagement program.
"This is our first window into that and we're really excited to grow it from here."
Athletics West all but ruled out turning the carnival into an elite Indigenous meet so not to stray away from engagement contributions.
"We definitely want to make sure it's accessible and continues to maintain that grassroots element because we have athletes of all different abilities and for us it's a celebration of bringing those together," the spokesperson said.
