TonyK
CibbuanoGoodes labelled a racist
May 14th 2008 23:13
SYDNEY star Adam Goodes has been branded a racist by AFL historian Gillian Gibbs for claiming indigenous players are "born to play" AFL.
Hibbins made the stunning claim on National Indigenous Television (NITV), at the same time debunking any connection between the evolution of Australian football and the Aboriginal activity Marngrook.
Marngrook is a Gunditjmara word meaning 'game ball' and it has long been a popular theory that Australian football's founding father Tom Wills saw a game of Marngrook and thought it would be a good way for Australian cricketers to stay fit during the off-season.
Hibbins has labelled that theory as a 'seductive myth'.
The dual Brownlow medallist expressed his views on Marngrook in an essay on what it means to be an indigenous footballer for the new official history of the game, produced to mark its 150th anniversary.
"I believe in the connection ... I know that when Aborigines play Australian football (they do so) with a clear mind and total focus. We are born to play it," Goodes wrote.
Goodes backed up his view in a recent NITV interview, stating: "When we play football there's that connection to the land that we are on and the way that we play.
"When you see two brothers or three brothers playing on the same team you can just see this natural ability shine through.
"I think that comes from thousands and thousands of years of history there."
Hibbins, a major contributor to the Australian football anniversary publication, labelled these comments by Goodes as "racist".
"If you define racism as believing a race is superior in something, this is basically what he (Goodes) was doing."
Hibbins made the claim on National Indigenous Television (NITV), at the same time debunking any connection between the evolution of Australian football and the Aboriginal activity Marngrook.
Marngrook is a Gunditjmara word meaning 'game ball' and it has long been a popular theory that Australian football's founding father Tom Wills saw a game of Marngrook and thought it would be a good way for Australian cricketers to stay fit in the off-season.
Hibbins has labelled that theory as a 'seductive myth'.
Goodes expressed his views on Marngrook in a heartfelt essay on what it means to be an indigenous footballer for the new official history of the game, produced to mark its 150th anniversary.
"I believe in the connection ... I know that when Aborigines play Australian football (they do so) with a clear mind and total focus. We are born to play it," Goodes wrote.
Hibbins, herself a major contributor to the Australian football anniversary publication, branded these comments by Goodes as "racist".
"If you define racism as believing a race is superior in something, this is basically what he (Goodes) was doing."
Hibbins was speaking on the Marngrook Footy Show, which screens on Foxtel's Channel 180, and was debating the origins of Australian football.
Former Essendon and Swans indigenous star Derek Kickett, who also participated in the debate, said any suggestions that Goodes had been racist was ridiculous.
"I don't know where she (Hibbins) was coming from," Kickett said.
On Sunday, the Swans and Essendon will be playing for the Marngrook Trophy and the following week is the AFL's celebrated indigenous round, highlighted by the 'Dreamtime at the MCG' match between Essendon and Richmond.
Many associated with Australian football have been critical of the AFL for allowing Hibbins to use the anniversary publication to attack the links they are celebrating with such matches.
Kickett and Marngrook Footy Show host Grant Hansen both believe Hibbins's research is flawed.
Hansen said Hibbins argued that if something wasn't written it wasn't true.
"She failed to actually interview any indigenous people about the game ... quite ironic if she's writing an article about Marngrook," Hansen said.
Hibbins made the stunning claim on National Indigenous Television (NITV), at the same time debunking any connection between the evolution of Australian football and the Aboriginal activity Marngrook.
Marngrook is a Gunditjmara word meaning 'game ball' and it has long been a popular theory that Australian football's founding father Tom Wills saw a game of Marngrook and thought it would be a good way for Australian cricketers to stay fit during the off-season.
The dual Brownlow medallist expressed his views on Marngrook in an essay on what it means to be an indigenous footballer for the new official history of the game, produced to mark its 150th anniversary.
"I believe in the connection ... I know that when Aborigines play Australian football (they do so) with a clear mind and total focus. We are born to play it," Goodes wrote.
Goodes backed up his view in a recent NITV interview, stating: "When we play football there's that connection to the land that we are on and the way that we play.
"When you see two brothers or three brothers playing on the same team you can just see this natural ability shine through.
"I think that comes from thousands and thousands of years of history there."
Hibbins, a major contributor to the Australian football anniversary publication, labelled these comments by Goodes as "racist".
"If you define racism as believing a race is superior in something, this is basically what he (Goodes) was doing."
Hibbins made the claim on National Indigenous Television (NITV), at the same time debunking any connection between the evolution of Australian football and the Aboriginal activity Marngrook.
Marngrook is a Gunditjmara word meaning 'game ball' and it has long been a popular theory that Australian football's founding father Tom Wills saw a game of Marngrook and thought it would be a good way for Australian cricketers to stay fit in the off-season.
Hibbins has labelled that theory as a 'seductive myth'.
Goodes expressed his views on Marngrook in a heartfelt essay on what it means to be an indigenous footballer for the new official history of the game, produced to mark its 150th anniversary.
"I believe in the connection ... I know that when Aborigines play Australian football (they do so) with a clear mind and total focus. We are born to play it," Goodes wrote.
Hibbins, herself a major contributor to the Australian football anniversary publication, branded these comments by Goodes as "racist".
"If you define racism as believing a race is superior in something, this is basically what he (Goodes) was doing."
Hibbins was speaking on the Marngrook Footy Show, which screens on Foxtel's Channel 180, and was debating the origins of Australian football.
Former Essendon and Swans indigenous star Derek Kickett, who also participated in the debate, said any suggestions that Goodes had been racist was ridiculous.
"I don't know where she (Hibbins) was coming from," Kickett said.
On Sunday, the Swans and Essendon will be playing for the Marngrook Trophy and the following week is the AFL's celebrated indigenous round, highlighted by the 'Dreamtime at the MCG' match between Essendon and Richmond.
Many associated with Australian football have been critical of the AFL for allowing Hibbins to use the anniversary publication to attack the links they are celebrating with such matches.
Kickett and Marngrook Footy Show host Grant Hansen both believe Hibbins's research is flawed.
Hansen said Hibbins argued that if something wasn't written it wasn't true.
"She failed to actually interview any indigenous people about the game ... quite ironic if she's writing an article about Marngrook," Hansen said.
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