CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | CONTACT
A popular local Murri girl has today gone all out for the town’s National Aboriginal and Islander Day Observance Committee (NADIOC) celebrations at Midhaga Oval in central Betoota.
With her younger cousins in town, Jasmyn Pavlovic (17) is underplaying the fact that she bought this entire outfit solely for this event, as the entire region’s community comes together to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples not just in Betoota but Australia-wide.
Dressed in stretch jean leggings, also known as ‘jeggings’ and Aboriginal flag coloured Nike high-tops, Jasmyn has attracted the attention of not only some of the visiting boys from up north, but also family members who have noticed how dolled up she is.
“What’re you talking about, I’m not dressed up!” she yells at her annoying brothers who have accused her of showing off.
“Do you want me to shame you in front of all the girls?” she threatens, in a successful diversion from her flash new look.
NAIDOC Week, as it has been known since is celebrated not just in the Indigenous communities but also in increasing numbers of government agencies, schools, local councils and workplaces. However for the nation’s Indigenous youth, it is used as a chance to chat up members of the opposite sex, or at least impress them with their deadly new kit.
Alongside the trend of jean leggings and fake finger nails, teenage Murri boys are also known for trotting out their flannelette Dickies t-shirts and Chicago Bulls flat brims – while also ensuring their adolescent moustaches are trimmed neatly.
With roughly 45 extended family members in eyeshot, Jasmyn knows better than getting to close to some of the Bedourie fellas that have come in for the day, but she has ordered her 12-year-old cousin tells them to add her on Facebook.
