That Winmar moment evolves to vital talk East Point wants to spark now

That moment in 1993, a mix of triumph and trauma for a proud Noongar man, has gradually become celebratory for the contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to a game that unites us all.

We are still far from completely changed when you consider the blatant vitriol dished to Rebels graduate Adam Goodes with crowds booing the end of a highly decorated career almost three decades later.

The children of AFL fan favourite Eddie Betts were subject to vile racist attacks while playing basketball in their yard earlier this year.

But football is a vital tool to keep sparking talk and actions to change this.

East Point senior footballers and netballers will run out against Ballarat Swans at Eastern Oval on May 25 wearing Indigenous-design uniforms to coincide with the AFL's two-week Sir Doug Nicholls rounds.

The Kangaroos' uniforms have been designed by Winmar's daughter Shakira Winmar, whose children play for East Point's junior arm.

Shakira Winmar said she was only a child when her dad lifted his jumper in a moment many admire as an act of defiance.

Now an adult, Shakira recognises her dad's act as amazing and powerful. She is proud to help the 'Roos create their own positive talking point.

"I think it's nice to celebrate our people and our culture," Shakira said. "Having a jumper design draws more attention to Aboriginal culture. I always wait until Indigenous round to buy a jumper when the Indigenous designs come out.

"It's putting our culture out there a little more in a way people want to get behind."

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Shakira designed a jumper for East Point's under-17s in the 2023 Ballarat Football Netball League season.

This time she could refine what she was hoping to achieve: a kangaroo with the symbol for a meeting place at its centre, representing everyone at East Point coming together to celebrate sport. There are kangaroo tracks, the club colours and Aboriginal flag colours each in patterns and a written acknowledgement to Wadawurrung country on which East Point is based.

Shakira said she was new to art and putting her own spin on a design but she hoped East Point and other clubs, such as Sebastopol, were starting a trend in promoting Indigenous jumpers and sparking constructive, positive conversations.

She looked forward to the unusual feeling in seeing players run out for action wearing her story.

We look to the AFL to set the tone in raising awareness on a range of socio-cultural issues, but the grassroots game is an incredibly powerful, more tangible tool.

Sammy Stephens, who has Italian-Aboriginal heritage, liked to tell a story in her Indigenous jumper design the East Point women's team wore in action on May 19.

There are mountains for what women have to keep climbing to do what they want, such as play football.

There are stars to represent what they are able to achieve as a team.

There are kangaroo tracks, more as a personal nod to Sammy being a North Melbourne supporter. (East Point's women's team are the Dragons, rather than 'Roos).

And there is the platypus for Ballarat's totem animal.

Her message is "asking you to dare yourself, no matter what others think you must always express yourself and what you believe in".

This might not be on a national stage, but such a design can help to gradually shift the stories we are telling in our communities, going forward.