The Blackwood Football Club will celebrate Aboriginal culture when it proudly wears its 2021 Indigenous guernsey in this Saturday’s Men’s A Grade match versus Mt Barker and Women’s match versus Happy Valley. The day will also feature a special ceremony featuring a welcome to country before the bounce of the A Grade Men’s match.
Designed by Clyde Rigney, the guernsey features two prominent sections and represents a story of culture and values.
Speaking about the design, Clyde said “I hope that the HFL, BFC, its players and community get some perspective and insight into Indigenous culture and values, and how these values are represented through the traditional and ancient method of storytelling in art.”
About the Guernsey
The top section of the guernsey features the Kaurna shield and boomerangs which are weapons which you take into battle whilst the 12 dots on the boomerangs present the premierships which the Blackwood Football Club has won. This section highlights the Blackwood Football Club players entering the battle of the game and equipping themselves with the tools to succeed in the battle.
The bottom section features a large circle and symbols (on the left of the jumper closest to the side seam) within the circle represent the men, women and children that make up the BFC community. The trail connecting the circles represents the act of the Journey over the course of the season and connecting with men, women and children from other communities/clubs.
The kangaroo paw prints represent the spirit and values that you take with you on your Journey. For Aboriginal nations across Australia we have totems, special and significant species that we are responsible for, not just physically but spiritually, and these Kangaroo paw prints represent the spirit that we take with us on our Journey.
On the back of the guernsey features the words Kaurna Yerta which translates to Kaurna Land, and is an acknowledgement that where the BFC is and where the game is being played on Saturday is on the traditional lands of the Kaurna people.
#redandgreen
