The 29th Indigenous Nationals have officially commenced with an Opening Ceremony held on Monday 23 June 2025.  

The ceremony, held in the magnificent Winthrop Hall, was preceded over by UWA Director of Future Students Trish Rechichi and welcomed the over 500 Indigenous student athletes and officials in attendance not only to UWA, but also to Whadjuk Noongar Boodjar. 

Alton Walley, son of Dr Richard Walley OAM, welcomed the attendees to Whadjuk Boodjar, sharing stories and knowledge about the land on which the competition will be held. This was followed by a formal welcome to the University by Vice-Chancellor Amit Chakma, who acknowledged the diversity of cultures present in the room and asserted UWA’s commitment to Indigenous excellence. 

The assembly was then addressed by Jill Benn, Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor Indigenous Education to welcome the competitors on behalf of the UWA School of Indigenous Studies. 

The occasion also saw the presentation of the bp Indigenous Nationals Scholarships. These scholarships of $5000 each are awarded to the two most promising Indigenous student athletes each year. In 2025, UWA’s Taleah Ugle was one of the recipients of this scholarship. In addition to the scholarship funding, recipients are also offered mentoring and professional development opportunities.  

UWA Maaliwah team captains Daniel Thomas and Taleah Ugle then addressed their peers, expressing excitement and anticipation for the week ahead, before proceedings moved outside for a smoking ceremony and cultural dance performance by Traditional Owners. 

Indigenous Nationals is a week-long, multi-sport competition which will welcome over 500 Indigenous student-athletes representing more than 30 universities and tertiary institutions from across Australia. Teams will compete in basketball, netball, touch rugby and volleyball, transforming UWA and its surrounds into a vibrant cultural hub that celebrates the rich sporting traditions and contemporary achievements of Indigenous Australia. 

UWA will field two Maaliwah teams at this year’s Indigenous Nationals. Since first joining the event as one of the first university teams outside New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, UWA Maaliwah have captured seven championships and finished runner-up six times, cementing their status as one of the competition’s most successful programs 

For more information on the 29th Indigenous Nationals, including schedules, fixtures and cultural programming, please visit the UniSport Australia website here