Yuendumu Sports Weekend is back on 50th anniversary

LETTER TO THE EDITOR
 
Sir – Yuendumu will once again come alive to the sounds of leather on leather, bat on ball, the swish of the basket, cheering crowds and  healthy rivalries with the announcement that the community will hold its first Sports Weekend since 2011.
 
In another measure of how far the community has come to build peace and maintain harmony, Councillor Robert Robertson, who is also the chairperson of the Yuendumu Mediation and Justice Committee, announced the community will once again hold the 2013 Yuendumu Sports Weekend from August 3 to 5, the NT Picnic Day long weekend.
 
Cr Robertson says the community has been through some tough times over the last couple of years but everyone has worked hard to resolve the differences.
 
The Central Desert Shire is proud to support the 50th anniversary of this event.  Yuendumu considers itself as pioneer of community sports weekends as the the original sports weekend, held in 1963, was the first of its kind.  It is an important community building occasion and because the community has traditionally chosen the long weekend in August to host the event, it doesn’t interfere with school attendance.
 
It is really important to ensure that families get their kids back home in time for school.  We love these weekends because it gives families a chance to get together, to compete and to have lots of fun.  But its very important that we don’t forget to look after our kids.  I hope that the weekend will see a lot of people visiting and participating, but remember – be home in time for school.
 
The Yuendumu Sports Weekend was known as Yuendumu Olympics, it was such a big and important event for remote central Australian communities.  Yuendumu is a proud community.
 
People traveled for thousands of kilometres to be part of the competition.  The community has worked hard to be in a position to hold the event again and celebrate such a significant anniversary, the 50th.
 
Adrian Dixon 
Central Desert Shire President