For North Melbourne Tasmanian Kangaroos’ stars Kaitlyn Ashmore and Mia King, their journey to discovering their Mob is still very much in progress.
On the eve of the inaugural AFLW Indigenous round, the duo opened up about their bloodlines and what the game means.
“When you find your Mob, there’s more a sense of belonging and that’s what I’m hoping for,” Ashmore told The Herald Sun.
“I know there would be lots of other people in my situation and I think acknowledging it and accepting it is the first step.
“So hopefully if anyone is in the same situation that I am, they feel comfortable enough to say: ‘I am Indigenous’ and to just be proud of who they are.”
King echoed those sentiments.
“To be able to celebrate our Aboriginal heritage and be proud of it is really important to me,” she said.
“My grandmother being a part of the Stolen Generation, but then my dad being adopted, we never learnt a lot about our heritage and our roots when we were growing up.
“We’re missing that part of our lives … to fill that hole in my life that I haven’t got to know, which will be special.”
Ashmore is on the journey to discovering her family history, after her grandfather revealed to his family later in life he identified as an Aboriginal.
“My Pa grew up in a world where Indigenous people were frowned upon and he hid that part of himself,” she said.
“I can’t even imagine that now.
“But because Pa hid it for so long, it’s been really hard to find out information and most of his brothers and sisters have passed away, too.
“We’re finding out information in dribs and drabs … we’ve only just started, but it’s a journey that is quite exciting.
“The more we find out, the more exciting it’s becoming.
“I want to find my Mob and then find out more about them and I want them to teach me about the culture.”
Jawoyn woman, King, is hoping to make her way to the Northern Territory to learn more about her family, knowing her great-grandmother, Ruby, married a man called Lance and later had a daughter called Maggie.
“Maggie was stolen from her backyard,” the 19-year-old midfielder said.
“Locals say that (Ruby) died of a broken heart not long after and Maggie never saw her mum again.
“Maggie endured quite a lot in her life. She was brought up in a mission camp on Crocker Island where she was taught the white ways and I think she really lost her heritage and identity there.
“Maggie was struggling … and so she had my dad, Martin, adopted. We only found out who my grandmother was two years ago and we contacted her but she was very sick and she passed away not long after and so I never met her.”
North has released a special Indigenous guernsey for the round, to be worn against Carlton on Saturday night.
