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Samuel Stubbs likes to “shake a leg”.
It’s simply one of many methods the proud Wangkatha man shares his Indigenous tradition on social media.
It’s no secret the influencer and Perth Soccer Membership participant likes to bop, usually busting out the celebratory transfer, whether or not on the sphere after snapping a aim for the Demons or out and about.
With a TikTok following that’s grown to greater than 134,000 followers and a couple of.8 million likes, Stubbs helps to interrupt down cultural boundaries together with his “lethal” dance strikes and relatable, generally cheeky, however largely healthful content material that shines a lightweight on First Nations traditions and gives a window into his on a regular basis life.
His area of interest content material on @s.stubbs23 is making such an affect, TikTok Australia observed and flew him out to Darwin to attend the Nationwide Indigenous Music Awards final 12 months, amongst different occasions.
“Initially, when it took off, it was a bit stunning however I feel there’s an enormous house on the market for Indigenous creators,” Stubbs instructed PerthNow.
“Aboriginal tradition is admittedly particular and it’s there for everybody to embrace and all Australians must be pleased with it. I’m simply joyful to share what I’ve acquired and for individuals to comply with alongside.”
The 26-year-old is only one of many younger Indigenous creators who’ve taken to the platform to specific themselves, make connections, share their skills, and advocate for his or her individuals.
Telling tales by means of dance
Stubbs’ TikTok started with posts of him simply having fun and a dance. After seeing a few different developments he determined to present it a go, with a bit of encouragement from his brother, Ben.
“Dancing is all the time a good way to inform tales and it’s one thing we do in our tradition that’s actually particular,” Stubbs mentioned. “It’s in all probability one of many issues I really like probably the most,” including he grew up dancing together with his household dance group, Maku dancers, who’ve carried out in Singapore and Parliament Home amongst different locations.
Alongside together with his ardour for shaking a leg, his TikTok is crammed with posts about soccer, First Nations occasions and points, cultural explainers, chats about bush tucker, and household moments.
Whereas quite a lot of positivity is generated from his content material, Stubbs additionally faces racist remarks sometimes however chooses to reply positively by means of dance, within the hope he can elevate consciousness and encourage change.
“It’s by no means good seeing racial feedback on social media,” he mentioned. “Hateful feedback can carry you down, however I do know who I’m. I’m pleased with who I’m. I do know the place I come from, and my robust household line, so it doesn’t trouble me an excessive amount of.
“I simply reply in a constructive method and hopefully can educate that particular person alongside the way in which and present others you don’t should retaliate negatively.”
Whereas not moving into the thick of Indigenous political points dealing with Australia proper now, Stubbs did contact on his views on Invasion Day (Australia Day), saying he hoped for a change of date that everybody might in the future have a good time collectively.
‘My dad and mom are my largest inspirations’
Rising up in Kalgoorlie, Stubbs has all the time had a powerful connection to the land. His love for sharing his tradition stems from his dad and mom, Greg and Carol Stubbs, who run Morapoi Station and Nugget Excursions. They work to share “their tradition with guests, college teams and Aboriginal individuals from different areas, in an effort to foster a cross-cultural understanding and connection”.
About two hours north of Kalgoorlie, the station gives guests an opportunity to attach with the traditional land and the Wangkatha individuals who have lived there for over 40,000 years.
When Stubbs isn’t enjoying footy, he’s usually serving to his dad and mom run youth teams on the station on college holidays.
“My dad and mom are my largest inspirations, they’re wonderful individuals and so they give a lot to the group,” he mentioned.
“They run camps for kids aged roughly round eight to 13 out on the station. We usually get round 100 Indigenous children, with a couple of non-Indigenous, who come out for the week to participate in cultural actions, play video games, and all the pieces else. We’re attempting to have a constructive affect and maintain them out of bother.”
Stubbs has been part of the youth camps ever since he can keep in mind, attending them as a baby and now main teams as an grownup. As a teen, Stubbs recollects trying as much as AFL champion Eddie Betts, additionally from Kalgoorlie, who helped out on the camps earlier than his profession took off.
Now, Stubbs is the one being that function mannequin not solely on the youth camps however by means of his TikTok account.
“It’s about exhibiting Aboriginal children in Australia, extra so the desert, that there’s extra to life than what they know,” he mentioned.
“A whole lot of children don’t have nice alternatives in life, particularly the place quite a lot of these children come from,” he mentioned. “I simply attempt to be somebody they’ll look as much as and relate to as a result of I do know a few of the boundaries that they face.”
His dad and mom additionally branched out their work to Queensland, on the Sunshine Coast, the place Stubbs spent his teenage years earlier than returning to WA about three years in the past to play within the WAFL after enjoying within the QAFL.
‘AFL has all the time been my dream’
Whereas his TikTok has taken off, Stubbs, whose been kicking a footy round since he was eight, nonetheless has his coronary heart set on making it to the AFL, after a short brush with the Fremantle Dockers.
“It’s all the time been my dream, ever since I can actually keep in mind,” he mentioned. “I simply needed to exit and have enjoyable and play footy.”
The mid-sized ahead caught the attention of Freo recruiters after kicking 41 targets in 31 WAFL appearances and successful the Demons’ main goal-kicker award final season.
He was invited to coach at Freo together with Gippsland Energy tall Liam Serong, the youthful brother of Dockers star Caleb, for a couple of months within the hope of incomes a spot on the record as a part of the Pre-Season Supplementary Choice Interval. Each gamers had been ignored earlier than the choice deadline, however there’s hope for them but.
On the time, Fremantle footy boss Peter Bell mentioned each Stubbs and Serong could be in consideration for the mid-year draft, on the finish of Might, amongst others, with the membership protecting its choices open.
Stubbs, who was rated quantity 26 in The West Australian’s High 40 WAFL gamers record for 2023, mentioned regardless of not being picked, he’s “not executed but”.
“I acquired a small style of it,” he mentioned. “I had a possibility, which was an incredible expertise and I’m undoubtedly higher off now for that.”
His ardour for his tradition additionally shines by means of in his footy, the place he performs an enormous function in serving to the Demons design their NAIDOC Week jumpers, providing explanations of their that means by means of his TikTok movies.
Like quite a lot of footy gamers, the game is “greater than only a recreation” for Stubbs.
“After I play, I don’t simply play for myself,” he mentioned. “I play for my household, all my mob, and many individuals again residence who haven’t had the chance. To allow them to see me on the market attempting my finest and giving all the pieces I’ve acquired.
“My aim is to try to play one of the best soccer I can to present myself each probability of creating it into the AFL, in addition to bringing consciousness to my tradition and shaping pathways for my individuals to make a greater begin.”
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