Indigenous culture celebrated by Victorian footy clubs
Victorian community football clubs have thrown their support behind Sir Doug Nicholls Round and National Reconciliation Week by celebrating the contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples to Australian Football and the country.
With the AFL celebrating Sir Doug Nicholls Round across Rounds 10 and 11 of the 2022 Toyota AFL Premiership Season, many leagues and clubs throughout Victoria have participated in their own celebrations of Indigenous culture over the past few weeks designing special Indigenous jumpers and hosting Indigenous rounds and matches.
Check out the gallery below to see some highlights of the Indigenous Round celebrations and to read some of the stories about the jumper designs and the artists who designed them!
Portarlington FNC
Wiradjuri / Nari Nari man from Western New South Wales, Christopher Delamont, has a blended style of cultural symbolism and modern use of totems to tell the story, giving him a unique view on the stories they tell.
Christopher’s views his art as a pathway for him to keep his culture, language and storytelling alive. It is an instrument to educate and serves as his way of keeping good mental health. Art is his therapy, and he has utilised it as an art therapy tool for other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People.
For Christopher, reconciliation is journey of truth-telling and acknowledgement. Reconciliation means acknowledging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Peoples of this land and recognising that these peoples were dispossessed, persecuted and oppressed as a result of colonisation in Australia. Reconciliation involves developing an understanding of how these histories continue to shape contemporary Australian society and ensuring that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and cultures are always treated with dignity and respect.
Portarlington FNC players pose with former Geelong Cat player Matthew Stokes
Rowville Hawks
Rowville's, Steve Hanning, explains the painting he did in collaboration with his cousin Jethro Calma-Holt that featured as the design for the Rowville FNC Indigenous Jumper.
“The two spears are the two teams competing and the two boomerangs represent the captains."
“The dot paintings in the middle are three key elements of a community football club – the coaches, the playing group and the volunteers, supporters, community.”
Russell's Creek FNC
In the Warrnambool District FNL, Russell's Creek FNC wore an Indigenous jumper designed by u15s player Kobi Chatfield and participated in a pregame smoking ceremony and Welcome to Country. Russell's Creek are the first club in the South West to design and play in an Indigenous jumper.
Kobi says the message behind the jumper is "everyone coming together to play and watch a game of football and netball."
The design features the Hopkins River and represents the 'eel story' which Kobi says is an important part of Aboriginal and First Nations Culture.
Artist Kobi Chatfield (centre) poses for a photo with a Russell's Creek player and coach
North Ballarat FNC
North Ballarat player, Josh Chatfield, explains the club's Indigenous jumper designed by his father. The jumper features fishing nets, the Sun, goana, kangaroo and emu tracks and a 'war bench' which is traditionally used on shields for combat. Part of the jumper design also represents the Senior Netball and Football Coaches and members of the club including the 22 players on the football team and the 10 netball players.
Official Golden Square FNC
Official Golden Square FNC pose for a team photo after winning the Wirama Shield
Macedon Cats JFC
Young footballers from the Macedon Cats JFC pose for a photo
Tyabb FNC
Players from Tyabb FNC pose for a photo in their Indigenous jumpers
Hastings vs Pearcedale (MPFNL)
Members of Hastings FNC watch on as the club participates in a smoking ceremony
Balnarring JFC
Balnarring JFC players pose for a team photo in their specially designed Indigenous jumper
Heidelberg JFC, St Mary's JFC, Brunswick JFC (YJFL)
Heidelberg JFC and St Mary's JFC come together around the centre circle
Old Eltham Collegians FC
Whitehorse Pioneers FNC
Whitehorse Pioneers men's and women's players and club members pose for a photo in their Indigenous jumper
Brunswick Football Club
The jumper was designed by Yandruwandha-Yawareawarrka artist Uncle Les Stanley who described it as showing "the strength and resilience of women and girls and their footprints are forever remaining".
The guernsey retains the club’s trademark purple as the dominant colour, but the usual green yoke has been replaced by a trail of green and blue dots forming a V. A spiky echidna dominates the lower third of the guernsey.
The echidna was chosen because it is a strong native animal that covers vast distances in all types of weather and seasons. Two large red dots above the echidna are surrounded by a pattern of multi-coloured smaller dots to represent women sitting around a waterhole. Long lines of red and white dots fan out from the waterholes to four gathering places. The back of the guernsey features a painting of a Balga grass tree set against the red and yellow of the Aboriginal flag in the form of a bush sky.