First Nations jersey stories: Central

With the NBL1's First Nations Round taking place this weekend, make sure to see the beautiful designs across the country and the meanings behind them below:

See all the jerseys below: 

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Forestville Eagles

Artist: Ambah Kowcun

Story: 

The eagle on the front is our club mascot and the circles inside is the community within the club.

The yellow dots around the eagle stand for all the players, managers and coaches involved in the team.

I wanted to represent the NBL1 competition and everyone who makes it a league so the meeting place symbols on the side are all the different clubs.

The dotted tracks going to each meeting place are the different teams traveling to different stadiums each week to play.

 

Norwood Flames

Artist: Amy Walley-Stack

Story: 

Front of the Jersy: Top to Bottom

Jersey Gum Tree flowers and Kangaroo grass.

The area of Norwood was then a magnificent Gum Forest, with an undergrowth of Kangaroo Grass, too high in places for anyone to see over.

Also representing their high confidence and ability to grow as a team.

The two large circles with Blue Symbols represent the Mal ULL and Female UL teams and how they come together to represent and support their team and also each other.

The footprints and red dots represent Kondili and how the creator gave him the gift of fire.

He put fire in Kondili Feet and when he’s walk sparks flew out from his feet (Big Dots).

The smaller crosshatch lines at the bottom of the jersey represent the Ngarrinojeri people and their strong connection to culture.

Back of the Jersy: Top To Bottom

Again with the crosshatch lines representing the pride and strong cultural connection the Ngarrindjeri people have to their land.

The Whale tail and spear representing Kondili and how he got his blowhole.

One of the Ngarrindjeri people dreaming stories that is still relevant today, coming from the area around Victor Harbor. This is where the Kondili (Whale) comes back to.

The U LLU LU down the ribs of the jersey represent the supporters, families and coaching staff all their to cheer on their team.

 

North Adelaide Rockets

Artist: Latisha Wilson

Story: 

When creating this piece of art work all I could think about was North Adelaide’s journey from where it all started for many people to where it is now.

Older players starting their basketball journey in a humble tin shed, most of us knew as Hillcrest Stadium to the new players now starting out in the high-class facility we enjoy at The Lights.

As the club continues to grow and develop new talent, it is unknown what the future holds for many players, young and old.

This walking trail, is part of the clubs history and transition from Hillcrest to The Lights which is known as our First Nations people Kaurna land and has now become a gathering place for people from all walks of life around Lightsview.

 

Sturt Sabres

Artist: Ben Stokes

Story: 

As an aboriginal man we learn from our Elders and I got my inspiration
for this design from my older cousin Delson Stokes.

I believe we should listen to the words he speaks and these are his words.

Could've walked my own way
Speak my ancient tongue
But it wasn't allowed to be
They changed the real me
Should've heard my own say
Stayed strong - stay proud
But I wasn't allowed to be
They changed the real me
I don't wanna walk behind you
Just wanna stand beside you

I hear a cry in the wind - the spirit in the tree
A signal from the heart - I need to be free
I hear a cry in the wind - the spirit in the tree
A signal from the heart - WE NEED TO BE FREE

 

South Adelaide Panthers

Artist: Danyle Pearce

Story: 

The inspiration for South’s indigenous round uniform comes from Michael Ahmatt. It symbolises unity and a coming together as a strong and proud club who is following on from previous generations.

All the little dots within the circles at the bottom and spreading around the uniform signify the thousands of juniors who have represented South Adelaide over the club’s history.

From the streams, all the paths leading to the South Adelaide club logo under which the five members of the Ahmatt family are represented, Michael, Helen, Shane, Michelle and Kirsty as well as the five players who take the court together for South Adelaide.

West Adelaide Bearcats

Artist: Patrick Ikaringanyi Ferguson

Story: 

The circles and the lines, when the players travel away from home, these shapes represent those meeting places.

This big river represents the Port River and the patterns represent water.

This is home, this is Bearcats stadium.

All of these u-shapes around the outside represent the players. The reason they are different colours is to stand out. I wanted home to look amazing and wherever you play, home is always with you.

 

Woodville Warriors 

Artist: Chloe Purvis

Story: 

My name is Chloe Purvis. I’m a proud Narungga and Arrernte woman coming from the Yorke peninsula and central Australia. 

I haven’t always had a strong connection to my culture as we lived far away from my family. Over the last 5 or so years I’ve really tried to get connected with my culture to have a better sense of self and identity.

I have been part of the Woodville Basketball Club for 3 years now. In that time I have not only played but have had the opportunity to coach lots of different age groups and kids. In this time I have also had the opportunity to be a mentor and coach at the Aboriginal Basketball Academy.

I was so happy when I was asked to design this years Aboriginal uniform as I have never had the opportunity to do anything like this. After being asked I knew, to make it even more special, that I would have to ask Ash to help me too. Working with Ash and her cousin Scott to create this artwork has been one of the best experiences I have ever had. We have had the opportunity to create something that can represent our club, our heritage and just something that we can be super proud of. 

The uniform this year has a major theme of connectedness and coming together. Earlier in the year Scott took a workshop with the women’s team to give them a better understanding of what Aboriginal art is. We spoke about the importance of iconography and how Aboriginal people used art as their way of communication and representing stories. We thought that giving the girls the opportunity to have a go at creating their own artwork would give them more of a sense of pride when wearing the uniform. All of the ladies were given an opportunity to draw some new symbols which they thought represented our team/club best. 

Each of the corners represents different communities or families outside of Woodville. 

The middle circle represents Woodville District Basketball Club and St Clair. 

The four lines connecting to the middle represent the individual paths that people take to get to Woodville. The dots within those paths represent all the different people taking their own journeys to get to Woodville.

There are four separate symbols that you can see in each section. These symbols were created from the ideas of some of the girls in our team. Each symbol has its own special individual meaning. These include team bonding, culture, hard work and support.

 

Central Districts Lions

Artist: Narelle Graham

Story: 

My Name is Narelle Graham I’m a proud Ngarrindjeri, Narungga, Mirning woman born & raised on Kaurna Country.

I’ve had this amazing opportunity to tell my story based on The three main rivers : North, South Para and Gawler River. Located in Gawler South, it was, and still is, an important resource area, and a favourite camping place for the Kaurna people which provided water, fish and other native foods.

My painting represents the three rivers and the gathering of Kaurna people along those rivers, as well as a native plant called a Grass Tree (or Yacca), which was used by Kaurna people to make weapons for fishing, cutting implements and for food.

 

Southern Tigers

Artist: Steed Carter

Eastern Mavericks

Artist: Former Player and her family (Ngarrindjeri)