For Adelaide’s Danielle Ponter, the inaugural AFLW Indigenous Round is an opportunity to educate about her culture on the big stage. 

But while it’s a time for celebration, it’s also a time for reflection. 

Both Ponter’s grandfather, who is from the Anmatyerre tribe in the Ti Tree regions north of Alice Springs, and grandmother, from the Maranunggu tribe in the Daly River region, were taken away in the Stolen Generations. 

They were placed in a mission on the Tiwi Islands. 

“That’s where my family have now grown up and learned a lot about Tiwi Culture,” Ponter said. 

“We call the Tiwi Islands our home."

Growing up in Darwin, Ponter said she spent most of her childhood not knowing about her family’s culture and heritage. 

“I travelled (to the Tiwi Islands) a fair bit with my mum and my aunty for work, but I wasn’t really involved with that culture,” she said, 

“I didn’t have a good understanding of what that meant for me.”

Ultimately, it was tragedy that brought Ponter closer to her family’s culture. 

“I’ve become more involved in it lately because of a lot of recent deaths in our community and funerals we need to attend,” she said. 

“I’ve been going back to my country and having to say goodbye to family members.

“It’s not the best way, but it was a reason for me to go home to the Tiwi Islands and I took that reason as an opportunity.

“I’ve learnt a lot but there’s still so much for me to learn.”

Ponter said while the scars of the Stolen Generation remained, her grandparents’ stories had influenced her drive to learn about her family’s culture and educate others.

“My grandparents were taken away from their country and what they knew... they had to adapt to this whole new culture and language and way to go about their life,” she said. 

“They were hurt by that but they were able to adapt - and that’s what I’m trying to do now.

“I’m so keen to get back home in my time off and get to learn more about my culture and my identity.”

On her Indigenous idols, Ponter’s answer was clear: her family. 

“They’re all pretty important role models to me, my mum’s a big one,” she said. 

In her football life, Ponter said former SANFL Eagles star, premiership Essendon player and Indigenous rights activist Michael Long was a powerful influence for her. 

“My uncle, Mike Long, did amazing things not only as a footballer but as an advocate for Indigenous people,” she said. 

“His work on the field was matched, if not more, than his work off the field - he did incredible things for the Indigenous community and he led by example.”

With the Crows set to take on the Saints at Norwood in the league’s inaugural Indigenous Round, Ponter said she was proud to represent her culture and inspire the next generation. 

“It’s an opportunity for me to educate my teammates on the Indigenous issues that we have here in Australia and celebrate Indigeous culture,” she said. 

“To have that on the big stage for everyone to see and show those young Indigenous people that they can achieve their dreams… I’m just glad that I’m a part of it.”