Feedback from Australian Olympians has attributed its record-breaking results to a traditional practice of Aboriginal culture.

Yarning circles have been an historic custom to pass on cultural knowledge through the ages and build relationships and respect within a mob.

So for the first time in the annals of Australian Olympic participation, this year's team in Paris adopted this approach to build up a rapport and confidence.

The end result 16 days after the opening ceremony, Australia collected gold 18 times among its 53 medals across France.

Deputy chef de mission Kyle Vander-Kuyp said "there was no doubt" that having the yarning circle improved Australia's performance.

"I have been sitting on an Indigenous advisory committee for the past five years," he said

"I've watched how that acknowledgement of First Nations people, culture and artwork has been brought in.

"The circle was striking when you walked in and was beautiful to see, but to see it practically used was probably the highlight and it set the scene for us.

"We put stools in the yarning circle and we got teams to sit down where we did that whole introduction, welcome and congratulations — it was special."

The colourful yarning circle that laid on the ground floor of the Australian Olympic village as a meeting place for both its Olympians and staff was about delivering on cultural interpretation, but also symbolism inside a modern-day Games.

Vander-Kuyp, a Worimi and Yuin man, represented Australia in the 110-metre hurdles for the 1996 and 2000 Olympics, said non-Australian indigenous tribes around the world have used "similar practices because it's safe and everyone is equal".

The lack of a traditional hierarchical system including in Australian Aboriginal culture had ensured there was no fear to speak out and share knowledge among the group.

"It was a subtle way to teach some culture," he said.

"I think it's safe to say it's going to be embedded in every (future) Australian Olympic team."

Vander-Kuyp is believed to have put in his recommendation that the yarning circle in future athletes' villages becomes a permanent fixture.

Past 2000 and 2004 Olympic boxer and Dunghutti artist, Brad Hore, was commissioned to paint the yarning circle.

The design depicted the coat of arms, a number of sports participating, and artistic footprints of the 60 known past Indigenous Olympians, including that of Hore.

"It's really good to hear that Kyle really enjoyed that aspect," Hore said.

"Like we really didn't have that with the Covid stuff and masks we had in Tokyo.

"The circle was there for bringing everyone together in the village.

"He and Anna Meares, and the other deputy chef de missions are in there talking to all these sporting groups coming in and that's where they had their first point of contact with them.

"That's what the artwork is there for and I am really proud what it has done. I am hoping that it will continue on."

Hore appreciated nearly 450 non-Indigenous athletes reportedly enjoyed gathering around the yarning circle, adding it was important way to deliver First Nations' cultural knowledge.

A further 11 Indigenous Olympians also competed at the XXXIII Olympiad.

"I am very happy to hear that and that's probably why we wanted to have a yarning circle to bring everyone in, tell the full story about the artwork, what it means to achieve your best, to go out there and perform your best, talk about what happens whether you win or lose, and that all of Australia is always right behind you and we're always proud of your achievements of being an Olympian," Hore said.

Indigenous "yarning" refers to a conversational style of storytelling where mobs tend to share stories based on their experience and knowledge, from intimate gatherings through to formal public presentations.

Hore wanted to adapt the traditional cultural practice to something that Australians competing in Paris could relate to from his own experience of competing.

"That is what it is – it's storytelling," he said.

"To sit out there and have that yarn like Australians do, if you're having that coffee.

"You might meet someone that you have never met before and you can sit there picking their brain."

Hore added the yarning circle would also allow the Olympians to freely talk about their own personal experiences and deal with the high-pressure Olympic environment to boost their mental health.

"Kyle and I went to the same Olympics in Sydney, and we never had anything like that," he said.

"We never had any Indigenous designs on our uniforms either.

"When you walk into that village in Paris, it was set up amazing with Aboriginal culture and all our Australian icons like Uluru at the centre of stuff."

The number of Indigenous additions that included stories behind art designs on every team's sport uniforms were explained, opening up the competitors' minds up to traditions of the oldest continuous culture in the world.

Hore felt the changes at the 2024 Olympics proved to be unifying rather than "divisive", the latter term a conservative political phrase that continues to cast aspersions that mainstream Australia is not willing to embrace Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture.

"I love that everyone loved it," Hore said.

"I haven't heard any bad feedback, not even once.

"Anna Meares even wrote back to me when she first got there and said all the other chef de missions absolutely loved it.

"I had good feedback from the Australian Sports Commission about it as well."

Hore said he wants to remain involved in the cultural artwork of Australian teams to come.

"I'm excited with the Paralympics about to start as well, and hopefully they will do the same thing with the teams come to sit around the yarning circle, tell our story that connects all the athletes," he said.