Celebrating National Reconciliation Week: MacKillop College vs Salesian College Sunbury

Today marks a significant occasion at MacKillop College, as our football team takes on Salesian College Sunbury in a match that goes beyond the scoreboard—it is a celebration of National Reconciliation Week and a testament to the power of connection, culture, and community.

The idea for this special fixture was born from a conversation last year between MacKillop College Principal, Mr Chris Caldow, and Salesian College Sunbury Principal, Mr Mark Brockhus. Their shared vision was to create an event that honours the spirit of reconciliation and brings our school communities together in a meaningful way.

Both teams will proudly wear specially designed Indigenous football jumpers for the match. The MacKillop College jumper is a unique creation by 2024 student Isabella Guzzardi, who shares her inspiration:

“I am a proud Kamilaroi woman, with my family coming from Queensland, and I have grown up around Melbourne on Wurundjeri country. In the last few years, I have learnt to create Aboriginal art as a way to connect with and express my Aboriginal culture, and to share my culture with others.

In this piece, I wanted to incorporate some specific features of the Werribee area to ensure it specifically connected to the school and students. In doing this, I included Bunjil the eagle, spread across the jersey, representing the cultural heritage where Bunjil created the earth in some dreamtime stories of Aboriginal people. Within Bunjil, I tell a story of a journey between people, both men and women, as they cross paths and meeting places—representing the journey they are going through at school and in their sport. The meeting place on the back of the jersey shows how we all come together as a school, as friends and family, as a team—working together in our central meeting place.”

The day’s events will begin with a traditional Indigenous smoking ceremony and Welcome to Country at 12:45pm, setting the tone for a respectful and inclusive celebration.

We are proud to share this moment with our community and to highlight the talents and stories of our students, such as Ethan Morris and Reyne Toso (pictured), who embody the spirit of teamwork and reconciliation.

Let us come together today, not just as competitors, but as partners in the journey towards understanding, respect, and unity.