Emmanuel Catholic College showcases indigenous football jumper
22 June 2022
The incredible artistic talents of the father and aunty of two Emmanuel Catholic College students have been emblazoned on the college’s Football Academy jumpers, in a rich tapestry of spirit and storytelling.
The collaboration between Roger and Tamara Hayden, the father and aunty of Emmanuel Catholic College students, Isaiah and Noah, produced the significant artwork for the Success school, which have been printed on the football jumpers.
The Emmanuel Kings Senior Boys Football team wore the new jumpers for the first time in their semi-final game on 15 June. The artwork will also be used on the Emmanuel Netball Academy bibs and the new Emmanuel Basketball Academy uniform from next year.
The project was the brainchild of Emmanuel’s previous Aboriginal and Islander Liaison Officer Anita Jackman-Davey and Head of Sport Sean Bradley as a mark of respect for our Noongar nation.
“It is vital that we, as a College, acknowledge the land we learn on, the land we teach on and the land we play on,” Mr Bradley said.
“It is vital that we, as a College, acknowledge the land we learn on, the land we teach on and the land we play on. Displaying this story on the football jumpers through the artwork of Tamara and Roger is just one of the ways we can do this.”
Sean Bradley, Emmanuel Catholic College Head of Sport
“Displaying this story on the football jumpers through the artwork of Tamara and Roger is just one of the ways we can do this.
“We thank Tamara and Roger for their design and creativity and for working with the College on producing such a fantastic item for the girls and boys to be proud of.”
The artwork tells the story of the Beeliar waterways, created by the Wargyl during Dreamtime. The round symbols represent the gnamma, the water holes, rivers, bays and lakes scoured out by the Wargyl with its body.
It shows the Noongar people, depicted as the ‘u’ shapes, living and hunting along the rivers and lakes, the lightning and thunder as dots and lines, and the hills and gullies. The round teal circles are other sacred sights created around the wider Perth region.
The rain the Wargyl brings is represented by the other smaller dots and on the bottom of the jumper you can see the Wargyl himself laying silently beneath the river watching and protecting our land, water and people.
The Emmanuel Catholic College Football Academy provides students with the opportunity to develop their football skills, tactics, and game play strategies. The College also has a Netball Academy and a new Basketball Academy due to start in 2023.
