MITS Student Reflections

Dreamtime Game

The Dreamtime game was the best day of my life! It was fun and I was so enthusiastic to see the Richmond players again. We had some Indigenous families from all over the country telling their stories on the stage and had lots of respect. But sadly we didn't have our Aboriginal flag hung up or in the middle of the field because of a company owned by the non-Indigenous people charging us with the use of our Aboriginal flag. It’s disrespectful for them to do that, it is a disaster! But luckily, we’re all fighting to get our flag back, some of our students wore the “Free The Flag” T-shirt made by us, ourselves, It was a fantastic feeling to be representing our Aboriginal Flag on our T-shirts!

Peggy Martin

On Saturday night we went to the big match of Richmond & Essendon. It was the best day of my life. Some of the MITS kids shouted for Essendon but most of them shouted for RICHMOND and it was so much more fun than watching on a TV. One thing I like about Tippa is that he is super fast. I was super happy when Richmond won the game.

Lesharnie Hall

It was the first Dreamtime Game in Darwin on Saturday night.

The best thing about the Dreamtime Game was that mostly everyone wore their “FREE THE FLAG” shirt which was so beautiful.

The “FREE THE FLAG” shirt is important because the Aboriginal flag is not where it should be. I think non-Indigenous people took the flag away from us.

It was the best Dreamtime Game ever. The Dreamtime Games should be in Darwin because it’s better!

Leah Baird

Dear Michael Long,

My name is Ciara Stewart and I am from Victoria East Gippsland. I go to Melbourne

Indigenous Transition School ​(MITS)​ ​and I am a proud Gunai/Kurnai person.

I am writing to you because I read the article in the NT News and I think it is ridiculous

that Aboriginal people don’t own the copyright of the Aboriginal flag.

This issue is important to me because this is our flag and we should have the right to use it and have it represent us without having to pay.

FREE THE FLAG!

Love and respect from Ciara.

Ciara Stewart

Free the Flag

Dear N.T News

My name is Kianna and I’ve been schooling at MITS (Melbourne Indigenous Transition School).

I am writing to you because I read Michael Long’s article and it is very upsetting what’s happening in Australia for the Indigenous/Aboriginal mob’s flag.

This issue is important to me because I am a proud Tiwi Aboriginal student. The non-Indigenous blokes being selfish and not letting non-Indigenous and Indigenous represent the flag for free is very disappointing and upsetting.

WAM should ‘Free the Flag’ because it’s not right to control who should and who shouldn’t be allowed to use it, we should all have the right to share and represent our flag all together.

Let’s all stand by one another for the rights of the Aboriginal flag, thank you for reading.

Kianna Tatt

Dear Michael Long,

My name is Bruce Wilson, and I am from Melville Island on the Tiwi Islands. I am a proud Indigenous boy, and my country is called Jesse River.

I am writing to you because I read your article “Long in call for fans to fly flags’. I am excited to see the Dreamtime game from TIO stadium on Saturday (go Essendon!), but I am upset to see that the Aboriginal flag will not be on the Jerseys or the field.

I am going to be strong and proud, wearing a flag on a shirt that I have designed. You are inspiring!

All the best, 

Bruce Wilson

Hi Michael Long, 

My name is Nickiesha, I am a student from the Melbourne Indigenous Transition School and I will be on the side of the oval with my Aboriginal flag t-shirt on supporting your calls to give the Aboriginal flag back to the Aboriginal people. I read the NT times and I also felt like the situation is a disgrace. I am a young Aboriginal person and I am proud of my flag and Aboriginal people should own the flag and we should  'Free the Flag'. The 'Free the Flag' petition got over one hundred thousand signatures and that means a lot of people want to free the flag.  Let's do it!

Nickiesha Warramara

Dear Michael Long,

Free the Flag is important to me because I’m Aboriginal. It’s not right that the WAM company should own the flag instead of the owner and if we use the flag we should not pay to use it. The flag shouldn’t be owned by other people it should be owned by Aboriginal people. The flag is important to all Aboriginal people and they shouldn’t take it from us because they didn’t own it in the first place they didn’t create it. We created it all of us together.  'Free the Flag'!

Kendyn Brown

Dear NT News,

I am Olivia Clayton and I’m a student from MITS (Melbourne Indigenous Transition School) and I just want to let you know that they should let the flag be free for all the Aboriginal people to have as our flag and I am angry that non-Aboriginal people own it. I am a proud Tiwi girl and I hope I can help share the message. Thank you for listening.

Olivia Clayton-Page