The Suncorp Super Netball League is proud to reveal this year’s First Nations Round artwork, titled Join in the Journey.
Created by Gunai, Gunditjmara, Mutti Mutti, Yorta Yorta and Bunurong woman, Koorrin Alinta Edwards-Wanganeen, Join in the Journey represents coming together, celebrating and connecting with one another through netball.
The design features circles which reflect all communities and teams who share a common love of netball.
The artwork will be showcased across First Nations Round with a custom match ball, umpire uniforms, and centre circle design.
First taking to the court at just four years old, Edwards-Wanganeen’s family is heavily involved in the sport, following her mother’s footsteps to play alongside sisters, nieces and nephews, and her husband and son.
A proud First Nations woman living in Melbourne, Naarm, Edwards-Wanganeen spoke of the deep importance of netball to her own journey and within her culture.
“The design is about joining in the journey, and that's the title of the artwork,” Edwards-Wanganeen said.
“I wanted to create a piece of work that reflected something of my story, and also reflect on a lot of other Indigenous netballers that do play the sport.
“Circles are a representation of gathering, celebration and coming together… gathering as a community, as a team.
“All the different types of circles and the different symbols around those circles are representations of the multiculturalism and inclusivity that we have in netball.”
The league's dedicated First Nations Round is held across two weeks in 2024, to coincide with National Reconciliation Week in Round 7 and NAIDOC Week in Round 13.
National Reconciliation Week is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.
The theme for National Reconciliation Week this year is Now More Than Ever, a reminder that the fight for justice and the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples will and must continue.
"After the national referendum on the Indigenous Voice, it's evident that true, consistent action from the heart is essential,” said Netball Australia’s First Nations Director Professor Cheryl Kickett-Tucker AM.
“This moment calls for all Australians to genuinely commit to listening, understanding, and supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices.
“Generational change and reconciliation require ongoing, heartfelt efforts that go beyond words, fostering a present built on equality. Authentic reconciliation means embracing Indigenous self-determination and governance, ensuring that decisions affecting our communities are made by us, for us."
All First Nations Round matches will be live and free on Kayo Freebies.
