The Canberra Raiders have launched their 2023 Indigenous jersey, with Indigenous artist Eddie Longford working with the Raiders Indigenous and Torres Strait Island players to create a jersey design that depicts ‘living and playing on Ngunnawal Country’ and pays tribute to the Ngunnawal/Ngambri People as the traditional owners.
The jersey will be worn in the Raiders round 12 match against the Sea Eagles on Sunday May 21 at GIO Stadium Canberra.
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The design includes key locations from Ngunnawal/Ngambri country such as the Murrumbidgee River, the Brindabella Ranges and Canberra (meeting place).
The background design contains the Brindabella Mountains and trade routes and includes ancient travel routes, as many tribes from the surrounding area would travel to Ngunnawal/Ngambri Country for trade, ceremony, and other important meetings.
It also includes the Murrumbidgee River, a significant resource for the Ngunnawal/Ngambri People and other surrounding tribes. Further, it includes the Canberra city which is represented by lots of circles (places) closely together, this is to acknowledge and thank NRL fans for their contribution. Canberra also features as a large meeting place with people sitting around, this is significant as ‘Canberra’ means meeting place.
The design also importantly incorporates the Aboriginal and the Torres Strait Islander flags. Eddie has worked with the players to ensure all their Totems are included in the design, (crocodile, emu, goanna and the eagle) - the animals are distinctive and lay on top of his intricate design.
Mr Longford said he was proud to have been given the opportunity to have his designs feature on the Raiders jersey.
“Being an artist for a long time, it’s been a goal of mine to get some of my work onto an NRL jersey. Specifically a Canberra Raiders jersey since I’d grown up here. I’m proud, it makes my family and I proud and I can’t wait to see it on the field,” Longford said. “It also makes me proud to include the Aboriginal flag. Being locked up in copyright and not being able to use it, this is the first year we’ve been able to use it freely. So, it makes me really proud to see it on the jumper along with the Torres Strait Islander flag.”
Raiders Indigenous and Torres Strait Island players Jack Wighton, Jamal Fogarty, Xavier Savage and Elijah Anderson all took part in a special photo shoot late last week to help launch this year’s jersey. With Jack Wighton and Jamal Fogarty embracing their ties to family by also having photos with their children.
Jamal Fogarty said Indigenous Round is one round of the season he especially looks forward to each year and said he can’t wait to represent his people and culture again this year.
“Obviously it’s one that each player circles, especially myself. To represent our people, our beautiful history and our beautiful culture and the whole NRL gets to celebrate that throughout the whole week with activities and jerseys on display,” Fogarty said. “To be able to showcase our culture I think is really awesome and the NRL is doing a great job.”
Jack Wighton said the opportunity to represent so many people is something he can’t wait for and the opportunity to help others learn about his culture.
“It’s a massive round. You get to represent your family, your people, your tribe and get to give the young kids a lot of hope, so it’s a very special round to me,” Wighton said. “All NRL clubs, we combine from people all around the world so to have this week where we get to represent and show a little bit of our culture and we get to learn ourselves just as importantly so it’s awesome.”
Xavier Savage said having input into the jersey design had been embraced by the players and for him as a proud Indigenous and Torres Strait Island man it was important to include both cultures.
“It was good that we got input on what goes on the jersey. It was good that they involved us this year, knowing that all hands are on deck, and it represents all of us who are part of this team and this place that we live in,” Savage said. “I think that was another thing that we spoke about, just getting both cultures more involved this year. I know Canberra’s a long way from Torres Strait, but we do know that we have Torres Strait boys here including myself so to get the Torres Strait culture involved in it too means a lot.”
Elijah Anderson said the inclusion of the player’s Totems would give extra significance to the Indigenous players who would play in the match.
“It means everything to me. I grew up with my grandma telling me where you come from is who you are but you choose every day the person you become. I think that explains a lot with my culture,” Anderson said. “It’s unreal. To showcase all the boy’s Totems and where they come from, I’m sure they are going to go out there and represent their people and their mob.”
About the Artist
Eddie Longford is a proud Wiradjuri man born and raised on Ngunnawal/Ngambri country. He has painted and created designs since he was a teenager. His style is contemporary, and he likes to challenge himself by experimenting with traditional and non-traditional colours. His artwork always pays respect to the country he lives on by including parts of the local area.
