We were fortunate to host Samantha Jetta, a proud Yorta Yorta woman, to run a traditional Aboriginal weaving workshop as part of Collingwood’s Women in Black and White program. 

Samantha, who is also the wife of AFL Development Coach and VFL player Neville Jetta, recently started a traditional weaving business using the skills and techniques passed down to her from her Elders.

Wanala Weaving originated during the pandemic as an outlet for Samantha while living in the “Queensland hub” during the 2020 AFL season and is now a thriving business.

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Women in Black and White welcomes Samatha Jetta and Wanala Weaving

Samantha Jetta joins the Women of Black and White program to share her weaving techniques with some of Collingwood's female staff.

The Women in Black and White program has been running for several years as a way of bringing the women staff and athletes of Collingwood together. 

“The Women in Black and White is a club initiative to support and promote our female staff and players at Collingwood. We seek out opportunities to network, learn and develop our amazing women. ” said General Manager of Social Impact and Policy, Taryn Lee.

“It is such a privilege to have Sam Jetta here, a proud Yorta Yorta woman, connected to Collingwood through Neville, to teach us and share with us her cultural practices and to share and learn from her stories.”

Samantha said she rediscovered her passion for weaving while working through wellbeing challenges and views the activity as one way for her to connect with culture. 

"Traditionally, weaving was used to make ropes using natural grasses, eel traps, baskets to carry food, and ceremonies. I've been re-teaching myself those practices...and trying to revive language," said Sam Jetta. 

"A lot of my pieces that I create I name using Yorta Yorta language...I do this because it’s really important for me to revive language even if it’s in a small way."

"It's been a really nice healing journey for my mental health while connecting to culture and being able to pass that knowledge on.”

We want to thank Samantha for sharing her culture, knowledge and skills with our people.

Samantha's incredible work can be found via her website: Wanala Weaving

The Collingwood Football Club acknowledges the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nations as the traditional custodians of the land on which we meet. We pay our respects to them, their culture and Elders past and present.