Maurice Rioli
Encyclopedia
Maurice Rioli was an Australian rules football
player best known for his time spent with the Richmond Football Club
in the Victorian Football League (VFL/AFL)
. He originally played for the St Marys Football Club
in the Northern Territory Football League (NTFL)
, and also for the South Fremantle Football Club
in the West Australian Football League (WAFL)
.
Regarded as one of the greatest players of his era, Rioli was one of the first Indigenous Australian footballers to have a significant impact on Victorian football, and was named in the centre for the Indigenous Team of the Century
. A highly skilled and solidly built centreman with exquisite ball-handling skills and lightning reflexes, Rioli was a renowned performer on the big stage.
After retiring from football he became a politician
in the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly
, and then worked in Community Services on the Tiwi Islands
.
. He joined St Marys in the Darwin competition for the 1974-75 season; football in the top end is played during the summer months, or 'wet season'. Scouts from the South Fremantle
club in Perth
spotted the eighteen year old and lured him to West Australia to join his brother for the coming season. At this stage in his sporting life, Rioli was also an excellent amateur boxer, who some thought good enough to go to represent Australia at the Olympics. He later won state amateur titles at light middleweight and welterweight.
, were a form team of the competition, playing in three consecutive WAFL grand finals between 1979 and 1982, including winning a premiership in 1980. Rioli won the Simpson Medal
as best player afield in the 1980 and 1981 Grand Finals. Rioli was recruited by Richmond for the 1982 VFL season
, after playing 121 games for South Fremantle between 1975 and 1981.
brothers to North Melbourne, Rioli spoke about the racial taunts and obstacles faced by indigenous players in the game. Rioli chose to shrug much of the racism off, and he was certainly possessed with an intense concentration on the field. His reputation as a boxer probably helped to avoid confrontation during a game - Rioli was a scrupulously fair competitor who found no trouble with the umpires.
. Richmond supporters quickly warmed to their much-heralded recruit, who specialised in the audacious baulk, the pinpoint foot pass and the lightning-fast handball. His ability to work the ball out of packs and congestion was uncanny. Although his leg speed wasn't very fast, his quick mind appeared several steps ahead of the play and he had no problem adjusting to the faster tempo of Victorian football. It was just as well, because the Tigers opted to play him in his favoured centre position where Geoff Raines
had dominated. For the previous five years, Raines had been the best player in the team (winning three best and fairest awards) and acknowledged as the best centreman in the competition, but he was moved to accommodate Rioli. The change worked well and Richmond finished the season on top of the ladder for the first time since 1974. The Tigers booked a berth in the Grand Final with a comfortable win in the semi final against Carlton.
Pitted once more against Carlton, Richmond went into the big match
as a slight favourite. However, despite leading at half-time, the Tigers lost the match. Rioli created history by winning the Norm Smith Medal
as best afield, the first Aborigine and the first player from a losing team to do so; when combined with his consecutive Simpson Medal
s from the 1980 and 1981 WAFL Grand Finals, Rioli had been best on ground in three consecutive Grand Finals. Shortly after, Rioli won the Jack Dyer Medal
as the club's best and fairest to cap off an amazing first season. But problems lay immediately ahead. Raines approached the club and requested a contract commensurate with Rioli's earnings. When refused, Raines walked out and asked for a clearance to Collingwood. Other prominent players fell into financial dispute with the club and left.
Rapidly falling from the success of 1982, the decimated team struggled and finished third-last in 1983. Rioli, however, had another stellar season, again winning the best and fairest, finishing runner-up in the Brownlow medal, gaining Western Australian and All-Australian selection, and winning the Simpson Medal for his state of origin performance. An acknowledged star of the game and arguably the best player at the club, Rioli continued to stand out in a mediocre team. He represented Australia in Gaelic football
against Ireland
, and was an immediate choice for West Australia in state of origin matches. However, after finishing second in the Richmond best and fairest in 1985, his days there soon looked set to end.
In the summer of 1985–86, the new private owner of the Sydney Swans
, flamboyant and controversial doctor Geoff Edelsten, had been frantically signing talent on massive contracts to play for his team. Rioli was announced as one of his many signings. It was the salary cap that saved Rioli from leaving for Sydney. After rumours that he would either join or return to South Fremantle, he eventually returned to the Tigers midway through the 1986 season. Rioli performed patchily through the season and the next, when Richmond finished last for only the third time in its history. Rioli captained Western Australia in the state game that year against his teammate Dale Weightman
, who led Victoria.
. In 1990, he finished as a player in Perth after 166 games for South Fremantle, but continued as a player in Darwin until 1991. He followed that with a two year stint as non-playing coach of the Waratahs. In 1993, he was invited by the AFL to present the Norm Smith medal at the Grand Final. Fittingly, it was won by another Territorian Aborigine, Michael Long (Essendon) who had played at St Marys in Darwin, where Rioli had started his senior football a generation before.
in the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly
for the Australian Labor Party
in 1992. He held this position until 2001 when he retired from parliament.
Although he played football for almost a decade in Perth and only six years in Melbourne, Rioli is still recognised as one of the best known Northern Territorians. He was a trailblazer for indigenous Australian football players at the elite level of the game and was an acknowledged elder statesman among Aborigines that played the game.
After leaving politics, Rioli worked as a Community Services manager for the Tiwi Islands
Council until his death, as well as spending his personal time mentoring young footballers.
(son of Cyril Jr) and former player Dean Rioli
(son of Sebastian).
2010 Maurice Rioli collapsed and died at a family barbecue being held in Darwin, after suffering a heart attack
; he was 53. The Northern Territory Government
announced a few days later that they would hold a state funeral
for him.
immediately extended condolences on behalf of Rioli's former club, saying:
Former teammate and club legend Dale Weightman
stated:
On behalf of the AFL, chief executive officer Andrew Demetriou
said on Boxing Day
:
Former teammate and current leading AFL commentator Brian Taylor noted about Rioli's on-field skills that "He was absolutely electrifying ... He was just one of the greatest natural talents I have ever seen. He was the best tackler in his day and is still the best tackler I have ever seen." Richmond legend and Rioli's first coach at the Tigers, Francis Bourke
, and former teammate and star player Geoff Raines
, were amongst others to also pay tribute to Rioli in the days after his death.
, but hundreds of Aboriginal mourners also paid their respects through traditional "sorry business", with faces painted, clapping sticks, and wailing throughout the ceremony. Many football identities, including AFL coaching great and noted champion of indigenous players, Kevin Sheedy, attended the service.
A traditional funeral was held for Rioli at Garden Point on Melville Island on 10 January 2011, led by his 75 year old father Cyril Rioli senior, and attended by hundreds of residents from the Tiwi Islands. Family members, including nephew and Hawthorn star Cyril Rioli, painted their bodies and danced and chanted their family's Dreaming
story of the turtle
to farewell Maurice. Cyril said that he remembered his uncle more for his work on the Tiwi Islands helping people with alcohol, drug, and other problems, rather than his exploits on the football field. Other clans danced their own Dreaming stories, and wailing men and women threw themselves on his coffin throughout the three hour ceremony. Following the funeral proceedings, mourners carried Rioli's coffin to the cemetery, where he was buried near a mango
tree.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
player best known for his time spent with the Richmond Football Club
Richmond Football Club
The Richmond Football Club, nicknamed The Tigers, is an Australian rules football club which competes in the Australian Football League. Richmond shares healthy rivalries with Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon. After winning five premierships between 1967 and 1980, the club hit the depths in 1990,...
in the Victorian Football League (VFL/AFL)
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
. He originally played for the St Marys Football Club
St Marys Football Club
The St Marys Football Club, nicknamed, Saints, formed in 1952 is a member club of the Northern Territory Football League. It is famous for its record of success, with 28 NTFL premierships and 55 out of 57 possible final appearances....
in the Northern Territory Football League (NTFL)
Northern Territory Football League
The Northern Territory Football League is an 8 team Australian rules football semi-professional league operating in Darwin in the Northern Territory.The premier grade is the largest Australian rules football league in the Northern Territory...
, and also for the South Fremantle Football Club
South Fremantle Football Club
The South Fremantle Football Club, nicknamed the Bulldogs, is an Australian rules football club, based in Fremantle, Western Australia, playing in the West Australian Football League...
in the West Australian Football League (WAFL)
West Australian Football League
The West Australian Football League is an Australian rules football league based in Perth, Western Australia. The WAFL is the second-most popular in the state, behind the nation-wide Australian Football League...
.
Regarded as one of the greatest players of his era, Rioli was one of the first Indigenous Australian footballers to have a significant impact on Victorian football, and was named in the centre for the Indigenous Team of the Century
Indigenous Team of the Century
The Indigenous Team of the Century was selected to recognise the role of Indigenous Australians in the sport. It was announced in 2005 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first senior game played by an indigenous player, Fitzroy's Joe Johnson...
. A highly skilled and solidly built centreman with exquisite ball-handling skills and lightning reflexes, Rioli was a renowned performer on the big stage.
After retiring from football he became a politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
in the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly
Northern Territory Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory is the unicameral parliament of the Northern Territory in Australia. It sits in Parliament House, located on State Square, close to the centre of the city of Darwin.-History:...
, and then worked in Community Services on the Tiwi Islands
Tiwi Islands
The Tiwi Islands are part of Australia's Northern Territory, north of Darwin where the Arafura Sea joins the Timor Sea. They comprise Melville Island and Bathurst Island, with a combined area of ....
.
Northern Territory
Born into a famous footballing family on Melville Island off the coast of the Northern Territory, the young Rioli learnt the game at the Garden Point Orphanage on the island. He was educated at St John's College, DarwinSt John's College, Darwin
St. John's College is a private Catholic secondary school based on the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart and Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart traditions. It is located in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia, on Salonika Street. It is a co-educational college for day and boarding students...
. He joined St Marys in the Darwin competition for the 1974-75 season; football in the top end is played during the summer months, or 'wet season'. Scouts from the South Fremantle
South Fremantle Football Club
The South Fremantle Football Club, nicknamed the Bulldogs, is an Australian rules football club, based in Fremantle, Western Australia, playing in the West Australian Football League...
club in Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
spotted the eighteen year old and lured him to West Australia to join his brother for the coming season. At this stage in his sporting life, Rioli was also an excellent amateur boxer, who some thought good enough to go to represent Australia at the Olympics. He later won state amateur titles at light middleweight and welterweight.
Western Australia
Rioli chose to sign on with South Fremantle as a professional footballer and quickly won a reputation as brilliant, elusive centreman. During this era, Rioli was one of a number of brilliant aboriginal players in the WAFL who caught the eyes of recruiting scouts from the VFL clubs in Victoria. South Fremantle, under ex-Richmond player Mal BrownMal Brown
Malcolm "Mal" Brown is a former Australian rules footballer in the Victorian Football League and West Australian National Football League....
, were a form team of the competition, playing in three consecutive WAFL grand finals between 1979 and 1982, including winning a premiership in 1980. Rioli won the Simpson Medal
Simpson Medal
The Simpson Medal, a prize for Australian rules football, has been donated by Dr. Fred Simpson and family since 1945. It is awarded to the best player in a WAFL Grand Final and the best player in an interstate game involving Western Australia....
as best player afield in the 1980 and 1981 Grand Finals. Rioli was recruited by Richmond for the 1982 VFL season
1982 VFL season
The 86th Victorian Football League Premiership season commenced on 20 March 1982 and concluded on 25 September 1982 with Carlton winning their second consecutive Premiership against Richmond...
, after playing 121 games for South Fremantle between 1975 and 1981.
Impact in Victoria
To this point, few aboriginal players had had extended careers in the VFL. On his arrival in 1982, which coincided with the transfer of the KrakouerPhil Krakouer
Phillip Brent "Phil" Krakouer is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the North Melbourne Football Club during the 1980s. Notable for his speed, freakish skills and an uncanny ability to pass the ball to his brother, Jim Krakouer, who also played for North Melbourne...
brothers to North Melbourne, Rioli spoke about the racial taunts and obstacles faced by indigenous players in the game. Rioli chose to shrug much of the racism off, and he was certainly possessed with an intense concentration on the field. His reputation as a boxer probably helped to avoid confrontation during a game - Rioli was a scrupulously fair competitor who found no trouble with the umpires.
Richmond
Richmond awarded Rioli the number 17 made famous by Jack DyerJack Dyer
John Raymond Dyer Sr. OAM , always known as Jack Dyer, was one of the colossal figures of Australian rules football during two distinct careers, firstly as a player and coach of the Richmond Football Club in the Victorian Football League between 1931 and 1952, and later in the broadcast media for...
. Richmond supporters quickly warmed to their much-heralded recruit, who specialised in the audacious baulk, the pinpoint foot pass and the lightning-fast handball. His ability to work the ball out of packs and congestion was uncanny. Although his leg speed wasn't very fast, his quick mind appeared several steps ahead of the play and he had no problem adjusting to the faster tempo of Victorian football. It was just as well, because the Tigers opted to play him in his favoured centre position where Geoff Raines
Geoff Raines
Geoff Raines was a former Australian rules football player who played in the VFL between 1976 and 1982 for the Richmond Football Club, between 1983 and 1985 for the Collingwood Football Club, in 1986 for the Essendon Football Club and between 1987 and 1989 for the Brisbane Bears Football Club.-...
had dominated. For the previous five years, Raines had been the best player in the team (winning three best and fairest awards) and acknowledged as the best centreman in the competition, but he was moved to accommodate Rioli. The change worked well and Richmond finished the season on top of the ladder for the first time since 1974. The Tigers booked a berth in the Grand Final with a comfortable win in the semi final against Carlton.
Pitted once more against Carlton, Richmond went into the big match
1982 VFL Grand Final
The 1982 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Carlton Football Club and Richmond Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 25 September 1982. It was the 86th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine...
as a slight favourite. However, despite leading at half-time, the Tigers lost the match. Rioli created history by winning the Norm Smith Medal
Norm Smith Medal
The Norm Smith Medal is the award given in the AFL Grand Final to the player adjudged by an independent panel of experts to have been the best player in the match.-History:The Norm Smith Medal is named after former Melbourne player and coach, Norm Smith...
as best afield, the first Aborigine and the first player from a losing team to do so; when combined with his consecutive Simpson Medal
Simpson Medal
The Simpson Medal, a prize for Australian rules football, has been donated by Dr. Fred Simpson and family since 1945. It is awarded to the best player in a WAFL Grand Final and the best player in an interstate game involving Western Australia....
s from the 1980 and 1981 WAFL Grand Finals, Rioli had been best on ground in three consecutive Grand Finals. Shortly after, Rioli won the Jack Dyer Medal
Jack Dyer Medal
The Jack Dyer Medal is an Australian rules football award given each season to the player or players adjudged Best and Fairest for the Richmond Football Club....
as the club's best and fairest to cap off an amazing first season. But problems lay immediately ahead. Raines approached the club and requested a contract commensurate with Rioli's earnings. When refused, Raines walked out and asked for a clearance to Collingwood. Other prominent players fell into financial dispute with the club and left.
Rapidly falling from the success of 1982, the decimated team struggled and finished third-last in 1983. Rioli, however, had another stellar season, again winning the best and fairest, finishing runner-up in the Brownlow medal, gaining Western Australian and All-Australian selection, and winning the Simpson Medal for his state of origin performance. An acknowledged star of the game and arguably the best player at the club, Rioli continued to stand out in a mediocre team. He represented Australia in Gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
against Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, and was an immediate choice for West Australia in state of origin matches. However, after finishing second in the Richmond best and fairest in 1985, his days there soon looked set to end.
In the summer of 1985–86, the new private owner of the Sydney Swans
Sydney Swans
The Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney...
, flamboyant and controversial doctor Geoff Edelsten, had been frantically signing talent on massive contracts to play for his team. Rioli was announced as one of his many signings. It was the salary cap that saved Rioli from leaving for Sydney. After rumours that he would either join or return to South Fremantle, he eventually returned to the Tigers midway through the 1986 season. Rioli performed patchily through the season and the next, when Richmond finished last for only the third time in its history. Rioli captained Western Australia in the state game that year against his teammate Dale Weightman
Dale Weightman
Dale "Flea" Weightman is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Richmond in the Australian Football League between 1978 and 1993....
, who led Victoria.
Later career
Following the 1987 season, at 30 years of age and after 118 games with the Tigers, Rioli decided that his time in Melbourne was up and headed back to South Fremantle to be appointed as captain. In his absence, the football landscape in the west had altered dramatically with the formation of the West Coast Eagles. Rioli opted to play at the lower level and the scheduling of seasons allowed him to captain-coach the Waratahs club in Darwin during the summer. He was still good enough to win All-Australian honours for a third time after the 1988 Bicentennial Carnival1988 Adelaide Bicentennial Carnival
The 1988 Adelaide Bicentennial Carnival was the 22nd edition of the Australian National Football Carnival, an Australian rules football State of Origin competition. Australia was celebrating its Bicentenary in 1988 so the carnival was known as the 'Bicentennial Carnival'...
. In 1990, he finished as a player in Perth after 166 games for South Fremantle, but continued as a player in Darwin until 1991. He followed that with a two year stint as non-playing coach of the Waratahs. In 1993, he was invited by the AFL to present the Norm Smith medal at the Grand Final. Fittingly, it was won by another Territorian Aborigine, Michael Long (Essendon) who had played at St Marys in Darwin, where Rioli had started his senior football a generation before.
Politics and community work
After permanently relocating with his family to Darwin, Rioli was elected as the member for ArafuraElectoral division of Arafura
Arafura is an electoral division of the Legislative Assembly in Australia's Northern Territory. It was first created in 1983, and takes its name from the Arafura Sea, which adjoins the electorate. The electorate is predominantly rural, encompassing in western Arnhem Land and the Tiwi Islands, and...
in the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly
Northern Territory Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory is the unicameral parliament of the Northern Territory in Australia. It sits in Parliament House, located on State Square, close to the centre of the city of Darwin.-History:...
for the Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
in 1992. He held this position until 2001 when he retired from parliament.
Although he played football for almost a decade in Perth and only six years in Melbourne, Rioli is still recognised as one of the best known Northern Territorians. He was a trailblazer for indigenous Australian football players at the elite level of the game and was an acknowledged elder statesman among Aborigines that played the game.
After leaving politics, Rioli worked as a Community Services manager for the Tiwi Islands
Tiwi Islands
The Tiwi Islands are part of Australia's Northern Territory, north of Darwin where the Arafura Sea joins the Timor Sea. They comprise Melville Island and Bathurst Island, with a combined area of ....
Council until his death, as well as spending his personal time mentoring young footballers.
Family
In 1972, Maurice's older brother Sebastian Rioli, became one of the first Aboriginal footballers from the Northern Territory to move to Western Australia to play football for South Fremantle. Maurice followed in 1975 and became the most successful footballer of the eight Rioli brothers. Brothers Cyril Jr and Willie also played league football for South Fremantle, and John, Manny and Laurence also moved to Fremantle, but returned to Darwin without playing senior football. Willie was drafted by in 1990, but did not make his AFL debut. Maurice is the uncle of current player Cyril RioliCyril Rioli
Cyril Rioli is a professional Australian rules footballer currently playing with the Hawthorn Football Club in the Australian Football League...
(son of Cyril Jr) and former player Dean Rioli
Dean Rioli
Dean Rioli is an indigenous former Australian rules football player who spent his whole professional career with the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League....
(son of Sebastian).
Death
On Christmas DayChristmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
2010 Maurice Rioli collapsed and died at a family barbecue being held in Darwin, after suffering a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
; he was 53. The Northern Territory Government
Government of the Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is governed according to the principles of the Westminster system, a form of parliamentary government based on the model of the United Kingdom...
announced a few days later that they would hold a state funeral
State funeral
A state funeral is a public funeral ceremony, observing the strict rules of protocol, held to honor heads of state or other important people of national significance. State funerals usually include much pomp and ceremony as well as religious overtones and distinctive elements of military tradition...
for him.
Tributes
Upon the announcement of his death, tributes flowed in from around the country, in particular throughout the football world. Richmond chief executive Brendon GaleBrendon Gale
Brendon 'Benny' Gale is an influential Australian rules football sports administrator and former player from the Australian Football League....
immediately extended condolences on behalf of Rioli's former club, saying:
Maurice was an enormously important figure in the game as a player, and more broadly in the leading role he played for indigenous Australians. He will be remembered as one of the greatest players in the Tigers' proud history.
Former teammate and club legend Dale Weightman
Dale Weightman
Dale "Flea" Weightman is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Richmond in the Australian Football League between 1978 and 1993....
stated:
Maurice was the cream of the crop. You couldn't tackle him, you couldn't touch him, but he was also a great tackler. He also did so much for Aboriginal players. He was always thinking about his people.
On behalf of the AFL, chief executive officer Andrew Demetriou
Andrew Demetriou
Andrew Demetriou is the chief executive officer of the Australian Football League and a former Australian rules footballer. He is the youngest son of Greek-Cypriot immigrants and, before becoming a VFL player, he worked in the dental import industry...
said on Boxing Day
Boxing Day
Boxing Day is a bank or public holiday that occurs on 26 December, or the first or second weekday after Christmas Day, depending on national or regional laws. It is observed in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and some other Commonwealth nations. In Ireland, it is recognized as...
:
... he was a wonderful skilled player who could control a game. He was the trailblazer for footballers from the Northern Territory in making their mark in the VFL and the AFL and he continued to serve his community long after his playing days, with his work in public life.
Former teammate and current leading AFL commentator Brian Taylor noted about Rioli's on-field skills that "He was absolutely electrifying ... He was just one of the greatest natural talents I have ever seen. He was the best tackler in his day and is still the best tackler I have ever seen." Richmond legend and Rioli's first coach at the Tigers, Francis Bourke
Francis Bourke
Francis William Bourke is a former Australian rules football player who played in the Victorian Football League between 1967 and 1981 for the Richmond Football Club and coached the club between 1982 and 1983. One of the most respected Australian footballers of any era, Bourke was nicknamed "St...
, and former teammate and star player Geoff Raines
Geoff Raines
Geoff Raines was a former Australian rules football player who played in the VFL between 1976 and 1982 for the Richmond Football Club, between 1983 and 1985 for the Collingwood Football Club, in 1986 for the Essendon Football Club and between 1987 and 1989 for the Brisbane Bears Football Club.-...
, were amongst others to also pay tribute to Rioli in the days after his death.
Funerals
Rioli's state funeral was held at St Mary's Star of the Sea Cathedral in Darwin on 7 January 2011. The funeral was a Catholic service said by the Bishop of Darwin, Eugene HurleyRoman Catholic Diocese of Darwin
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Darwin is a suffragan Latin rite diocese of the Archdiocese of Adelaide based in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia....
, but hundreds of Aboriginal mourners also paid their respects through traditional "sorry business", with faces painted, clapping sticks, and wailing throughout the ceremony. Many football identities, including AFL coaching great and noted champion of indigenous players, Kevin Sheedy, attended the service.
A traditional funeral was held for Rioli at Garden Point on Melville Island on 10 January 2011, led by his 75 year old father Cyril Rioli senior, and attended by hundreds of residents from the Tiwi Islands. Family members, including nephew and Hawthorn star Cyril Rioli, painted their bodies and danced and chanted their family's Dreaming
Dreaming (spirituality)
The Dreaming is a common term within the animist creation narrative of indigenous Australians for a personal, or group, creation and for what may be understood as the "timeless time" of formative creation and perpetual creating....
story of the turtle
Turtle
Turtles are reptiles of the order Testudines , characterised by a special bony or cartilaginous shell developed from their ribs that acts as a shield...
to farewell Maurice. Cyril said that he remembered his uncle more for his work on the Tiwi Islands helping people with alcohol, drug, and other problems, rather than his exploits on the football field. Other clans danced their own Dreaming stories, and wailing men and women threw themselves on his coffin throughout the three hour ceremony. Following the funeral proceedings, mourners carried Rioli's coffin to the cemetery, where he was buried near a mango
Mango
The mango is a fleshy stone fruit belonging to the genus Mangifera, consisting of numerous tropical fruiting trees in the flowering plant family Anacardiaceae. The mango is native to India from where it spread all over the world. It is also the most cultivated fruit of the tropical world. While...
tree.