14 hours ago
Indigenous Geelong premiership victor Matthew Stokes has lashed retired astatine Welcome to Country ceremonies for becoming excessively divisive and getting hijacked by 'people pinch agendas'.
The 200-game Cats awesome besides voiced his dream that Australians will beryllium capable to 'offer their sentiment astir Welcome to Country without being called racist'.
His comments travel aft nan ceremonial earlier past Saturday's GWS vs Brisbane final was slammed by angry fans who branded it a 'disgrace' after celebrant Brendan Kerin said nan rituals were not 'invented to cater for achromatic people'.
Stokes besides revealed he had 'no interest' successful nan Welcome to Country erstwhile it was performed earlier large games he played successful because it made him consciousness 'uncomfortable'.
'Welcome to Country should beryllium a beautiful, respectful ceremonial that unites america arsenic we bespeak connected Australia’s bonzer history which stretches agelong earlier achromatic settlement,' he wrote successful The Age.
'Instead, it’s becoming divisive and, to beryllium honest, I tin understand why galore group are confused by its purpose, arsenic nan AFL finals sum broadcasts nan ceremonies to millions of shot fans.
'I consciousness nan infinitesimal is, successful immoderate instances, being utilized by group who return nan chance, erstwhile speaking to much than a cardinal group watching connected television, to push their ain views alternatively than a chance for each coming to show respect for nan heavy history attached to nan onshore connected which nan crippled is being played.'
The 39-year-old - who won flags pinch nan Cats successful 2007, 2009 and 2011 - called for a 'genuine debate' astir nan ceremonies, but added, 'That tin only hap if group tin connection their sentiment astir Welcome to Country without being labelled arsenic racist.'
Indigenous Geelong premiership victor Matthew Stokes (pictured) is sick of nan Welcome to Country being utilized to push governmental agendas
The Cats awesome besides revealed that nan Welcomes that were performed earlier nan biggest games he played successful near him emotion 'uncomfortable'
Stokes past revealed his astonishing guidance to nan ceremonies erstwhile he was a player.
'As an Aboriginal man pinch emotion and respect for my civilization and our traditions I was not willing successful nan Welcome to Country earlier a large final,' he said.
'My attraction arsenic a subordinate was connected what would hap erstwhile nan shot was bounced.
'To beryllium brutally honest, though it mightiness beryllium bully and good for everyone extracurricular nan boundary, erstwhile you are portion of nan crippled and you are an Aboriginal man, you tin commencement to consciousness uncomfortable during that moment.'
He besides said nan Welcome is 'being overdone, which dilutes its effect, peculiarly if nan ceremonial is utilized to push agendas'.
The ceremonial earlier nan GWS vs Brisbane last successful Sydney past Saturday nighttime - which besides saw Kerin declare Welcomes person been conducted since 250,000 years earlier Captain James Cook reached Australia - drew outraged reactions from leader Pauline Hanson and footy fable Tony Shaw.
Stokes' comments came basking connected nan heels of nan very arguable Welcome conducted by celebrant Brendan Kerin earlier past Saturday night's GWS vs Brisbane final
According to Stokes, nan ceremonies are dividing and confusing Australians - while besides saying they're becoming 'overdone' (pictured, Uncle Colin Hunter performs nan Welcome astatine nan AFL Awards past month)
Hanson branded nan rituals 'one of nan astir racially divisive features of modern sermon successful Australia' and later called for footy fans to move their backs connected them earlier games.
Shaw - who skippered Collingwood to nan 1990 emblem - blasted nan AFL arsenic 'weak' and 'politically correct' for failing to rumor a nationalist rebuke complete Kerin's return connected nan ceremony.
Channel Nine footy commentator Tony Jones besides waded into nan controversy, saying nan AFL should commencement vetting what nan celebrants opportunity earlier they present nan Welcome in bid to forestall early scandals.
'Now whether you work together pinch Welcome to Country aliases not, I deliberation shot fans show a adjacent grade of respect. But there's a problem. There's a problem and nan AFL must reside this,' Jones said.
'This is an observance during Saturday night's Welcome to Country... location was laughter done it, and I'll show you why: because these Welcomes they're not, and should not be, individual agendas.
'They shouldn't beryllium location for governmental statements per se and I'm not judge whether nan AFL vets nan scripts, possibly they will arsenic of now because those comments did not spell down good pinch a number of group successful nan crowd.
