Gunditjmara man commemorates the tour of the 1868 Aboriginal cricket team

Damon Egan is part of an historic cricket tour of the United Kingdom.

To commemorate the tour in 1868 of a men’s Aboriginal cricket team, Cricket Australia is sending a men’s team and a women’s team. They will play a series of matches during the first 2 weeks of June. Four of these matches will be played at the same venues used 150 years ago.

Damon, a 20 year old Gunditjmara man from Bendigo, now Melbourne, began playing cricket at age 6.

He’s played ever since and in fact, for this tour, Damon will actually be returning to England. Two years ago, he spent 6 or 7 months there playing for the Sprowston Cricket Club in Norwich. Damon said he enjoyed the experience, meeting new people and developing lifelong friendships.

Before they depart Australia, a selection of players will travel to West Wimmera in Victoria to visit a number of the sites closely connected to the 1868 team.

In the UK, the teams will visit the site where Bripumyarrimin (King Cole) was laid to rest after he passed away on the 1868 tour.

‘There will be a ceremony held there and a few other things unveiled on the day,’ Damon said.

‘We will also make a trip to Lords to see a temporary exhibition set up about the tour with artefacts that are on loan. Each match too will bring with it ceremonial activities and a number of meaningful moments given the historic nature of each fixture.’

Damon recognises the importance of representing First Nations peoples.

‘I think it’s different for everyone and I’m still learning a lot about my culture and it’s the opportunity to show leadership for me,’ Damon said.

‘It gives me the opportunity to still develop and learn but also gives an opportunity to show the traits and morals, leadership and expected values that comes with our culture as well.’

The trip will be an invaluable experience and everybody should be proud of participating in such an important historical event.

‘I think everyone is looking forward to the historical side of things and learning a lot more about what actually took place on the first ever tour to the UK.’

‘I can’t wait and hopefully we can follow the footsteps of that first team in the way we go about our cricket as well.’

Good luck to Damon and all the players in the men’s and women’s 2018 Aboriginal XI.