It’s never too late to explore and lean into your culture, just ask Connor Idun. 

Born in England to a Ghanaian father before moving to Australia with his mother at age five, Idun spent most of his life knowing nothing about his African heritage. 

That all changed over the summer when the 25-year-old – along with teammates Tom Green and Brent Daniels – embarked on a journey across the globe to Accra, the capital of Ghana, to find out more about himself and his culture. 

“Through my lack of relationship with my dad growing up, I pretty much neglected my culture,” Idun said of his upbringing.   

“Obviously, I knew I was different and didn't try to hide it, but I didn't really buy into it at all. It wasn't until I got to the club that I decided to invest a bit more time into it, and the trip came off the back of that.” 

While reconnecting with his father a couple of years ago helped spark his curiosity to learn more about his culture, it was the wise words of a teammate that most heavily influenced his decision to dive deeper into his heritage. 

“That was a good step in the right direction,” Idun said on rekindling the relationship with his father.  

“He came over [to Australia] two or three years ago for a Canberra game, which everyone's seen on social media and whatnot, and that was great. 

“We've kept in contact a bit since then, but it was actually more through the club [that inspired his quest for greater understanding of his culture]. 

“Blokes like Stephen Coniglio, who invests heavily in his Italian culture, taught me to be really proud of where you come from. Through that, I decided to head over [to Ghana], and I took a couple of the boys, which meant so much to me.  

“They sacrificed a bit of their off-season but also shared a life-changing experience with me. 

“My dad came as well, which was great. Through the week we came away with so many life experiences and memories to share together now, which we've been reminiscing about ever since.” 

The week-long trip allowed the GIANTS vice-captain to discover many new aspects of his culture, while also meeting a host of new family members for the first time.  

“We had a family dinner at my uncle's house and he put on a traditional Ghanaian spread with so many different types of food, so I pretty much tasted everything under the sun in Ghana, and I liked it. Tom [Green] liked it as well. ‘Binga’ [Brent Daniels] didn't like it, which was funny to watch, so he was pretty quiet and struggled his way through that meal. 

“Another moment I really valued was going to my grandfather's grave with my dad. My dad hadn't been there for about 15 years, so for him to go back was really good, and for me to sort of meet my grandpa in a way was really nice. 

“On the contrast to that, we went through the Elmina township and had a tour guide take us through there. That was pretty confronting. The way some Ghanaians live was really impactful to see. Kids would run out of little huts and houses made out of tin, but everyone greeted you with a massive smile and was so welcoming. Their positivity is something we all took out of the trip for sure.” 

Idun, who is known for his infectious smile and positive attitude around the club, said there was no doubting those characteristics came from his Ghanaian heritage.  

“100 per cent. That's where I get it from. 

“Every family member I met had the biggest smile ever. I think it's in the Idun part of my family. My dad's really high-energy, which I didn't realise. He's like a little kid in a man's body. My brother's high-energy and all my cousins are really high-energy as well, so that's definitely where I get it from.” 

The star defender said the special trip evoked a range of emotions.  

“I had a bit of a feeling of wishing I'd done it sooner, or had the opportunity to do it sooner. 

“I have got cousins who are 11 or 12 years old, and you want to be around while they're growing up. There were uncles and aunties that my dad had told me about, but I never really cared about who they were, so I regret that a little bit. 

“But it's amazing now that I've got a whole different connection on the other side of the world. Between England and Ghana there are so many relatives that I never knew existed.  

“The love they had for me, even though they'd never really met me, and the love they had for ‘Binga’ and Tom, was really impactful. 

“It showed me that it doesn't matter who someone is or what walk of life they're from, everyone's family at the end of the day. That's what I loved.” 

Idun said there were plenty of other key learnings from his special off-season trip.  

“Gratitude is the major one. It might sound cliché, but as I said, for everyone to go through life with a massive smile when they don't have much was incredible. 

“You can get frustrated about a bad game of footy or traffic or whatever, but it really doesn't mean much in the grand scheme of life. We're so lucky over here. 

“Also, just giving back and greeting people with open arms. The way my family welcomed me, Tom, and ‘Binga’ - I hope I'm as respectful, caring and as loving as they are. 

“I think the major thing is just asking questions about other people's cultures,” he added.  

“You can see how proud I am to speak about my culture right now. If you ask anyone about their culture, they'll happily open up. It's about celebrating everyone. The [Cultural Heritage Series] round can be great for that. 

“It's definitely not something we should neglect. 

“We talk about being a family club and we're in Western Sydney, which has such a multicultural population. The way I've been celebrated since coming back has been amazing, and I'd love to be able to do the same for other people.” 

While he’s loved sharing the story of his travels to Ghana with his teammates, what’s meant more to Idun is the fact that they’re genuinely curious about his trip, and his culture.  

“The thing I've loved most is that I'm not just talking about it — they're actually asking me questions. That shows they care about me and my journey. 

“I hope to repay that care by asking them about their upbringings, cultures and experiences as well. 

Idun's experience is a powerful reminder of the value of embracing culture, asking questions and celebrating diversity - values that sit at the heart of the GIANTS' Cultural Heritage Series clash this Saturday. 

For more information on this week’s Cultural Heritage Series game day, click here.