Nearly every young man in town — and some old men and quite a few women — play the sport, which some experts argue was inspired by an ancient Indigenous game, known locally as purlja . There are just 600 residents in Lajamanu, but it’s home to five bush footy teams, with 18 players on a side. When a carnival is on, nearly the entire town attends.

Suddenly, though, the team’s presence at this carnival was in jeopardy.

Just before the bus reached the first of two turns in the entire journey, the flashing lights of a police car appeared.

“I understand that everyone is traveling to the carnival, but it’s my responsibility to make sure everyone gets there safely,” said Garry Willmett, the officer who pulled over the bus. “So you’re not going anywhere, until I see a license.”

The only problem: No one on the bus had one. Also, no one was wearing a seatbelt. And the bus was overcrowded. And it was probably speeding.

Such run-ins with the police are common in Lajamanu (as are other social problems, including substance abuse, domestic violence and suicide). Residents feel they are often unfairly singled out by the authorities who many see as discriminatory and heavy handed.