Mackay Indigenous Rugby League Carnival: Kanak Kebile celebrate 10 years, launch women’s team

For the Kanak Kebile players, nothing can ‘top’ the pride of wearing the club jersey. Discover why the team is so special to them, and go inside their journey to a major milestone.

Twenty-five Kanak Kebile players will take to the field this weekend but whether they win or lose, nothing can “top” the pride of wearing the club jersey.

That is because the Indigenous side is upholding a legacy that began 10 years ago in the Mackay Indigenous Rugby League Carnival, and stems back four Kanak generations to Thursday Island.

Joseph and Raphaela Kanak had 13 children, the youngest of whom Dominic was born in Mackay.

Dominic’s grandson, Wes Smith, who is playing for the Kanak Kebile at the Mackay Indigenous Rugby League Carnival for his tenth straight season, said it was a “big thing” to represent their grandparents and ancestors.

The team, which was in part created to help connect families, is made up of Kanak descendants and close friends, some of whom are travelling to Mackay from as far as Western Australia this year.

Wes Smith with his grandfather Dominic Kanak, the youngest of 13 and last remaining Kanak of his generation. The team includes third and fourth generation family members that play to honour Dominic and the Kanak name. Picture: Mitch Bourke

“It’s unreal, it’s hard for a lot of the all-blacks clubs,” Smith said, who has played in the Kanak Kebile side for the past nine years.

“The family sides sometimes only put in one side for one year, to have one running for 10 years is special.”

His cousin Zac Seden echoed his sentiment, adding the feeling that you had when you ran onto the field was “hard to explain”.

Zac Seden and Wes Smith. Picture: Supplied.

“For myself, the football’s just the vehicle and we have all the family come together, it’s a good occasion,” Seden said.

“You’re just like ‘this is it.’ I mean, people play NRL but this feeling, you can’t top it. Win or lose, we come off the field and the family’s going off like we won the grand final.”

Adding to the significance of this year’s carnival, Kanak will field a women’s Kosker side for the first time.

Kosker in Meriam language translates to a group of women while Kebile translates to a group of men, hence the teams are named to honour those who came before them.

Kosker coach Natasha Beveridge was thrilled to lead the women’s side.

“Just having the ability to represent our family line, and inviting outsiders into our family and showing them our culture, and the support and love we show each other, goes past our own family and extends to others as well,” Beveridge said.

Kebile team manager Scott Burkhardt said they had a “really good mix of young fellas” this year who could “shake the tree against some of the better teams”.

The Kanak Kebile and Kosker players of this season pictured at training in the lead up to the Carnival. Picture: Mitch Bourke

“We might make the grand final, you never know,” Burkhardt said.

“It’s carnival footy, anything can happen, you just need a bit of luck to go your way.”

But win or lose, it all comes down to family.

The Kanak Kebile dhari, the headpiece emblazoned on the teams’ jerseys, is a special tribute to Joseph and Raphaela’s children, the names of all 13 can be found on the turtle shell.

It is also worn to honour all Kanak descendants including Patrick ‘PJ’ Sabatino who played his last game in 2018 with all the strength he could muster, knowing all the while the game would be his last.

The Kanak Kebile side pictured ahead of its first carnival in 2013. Wes Smith, Zac Seden, and PJ all featured in this team. Picture: Supplied.

PJ pictured before the last game he would play with his cousins. He cherished representing the Kanak name. The dhari can be seen on his chest. Picture: Supplied.

“The carnival means a lot, you can’t explain how you feel,” PJ’s mum Tanya Sabatino said.

“Like Wes says, it's just a feeling that no one can describe, you're just so proud of your Kanak name, my mum’s name.

“PJ just loved playing every year ... they were just so proud.”

The carnival runs from Friday to Sunday starting with the U17s on Friday.

You can catch all the action at BB Print Stadium, and tickets can be brought at the gate.

For more details, check out the Mackay Indigenous Rugby League Carnival Facebook page.