Two artists, one kit, and the Country it comes from
Western Cape College sits at Rocky Point on Cape York, teaching Kindy through to Year 12 and working closely with families, community and industry across the region. The College needed a playing kit for their new Rugby League Development Academy, and the students in that academy come from communities right across the western Cape. Country, culture, community, identity and education all had to be in the jersey, carried by artwork from local artists rather than anything generic dropped on top.
Two works sit across the kit.
Lance Motton from Napranum created The Dreamtime Story (2024). Alngith Country sits at the heart of it, surrounded by the Anathangayth, Peppan, Thaynakwith and Wathyn clan groups, with blue and green for the Torres Strait Islander people who also call it home. Totems including the mullet and crocodile speak to cultural identity and ancestral connection, and to the responsibilities that come with both. The stingray, turtle and barramundi honour hunting practices passed down through generations. The Rainbow Serpent runs through the design as cultural knowledge handed from one generation to the next, giving strength and connection.
Sandra Ase from Mapoon created Striving in Education (2024). Sweeping curves represent education and the students moving through it, with circular forms for classrooms. Red, yellow and black celebrate Aboriginal knowledge. Green, blue and white celebrate Torres Strait Islander knowledge.
We worked closely with the College to lay both artworks across the jersey and shorts, keeping the detail intact so nothing was lost moving from canvas to kit. The Aboriginal flag sits on one sleeve and the Torres Strait Islander flag on the other. Both artists are named on the garment along with their communities, so whoever pulls the jersey on knows exactly whose work they are wearing. Underneath the artwork it is still a proper footy kit, built for training loads and match day.
Students who play for the Academy run out in artwork made by artists from their own communities, with their Country on the front of them. That is a fair bit more than a school uniform.
Artwork credits: The Dreamtime Story by Lance Motton, Napranum, 2024. Striving in Education by Sandra Ase, Mapoon, 2024.
“More than just a footy jersey, this design brings together Country, culture, community, identity and education, featuring artwork that represents the people and communities our students come from. A huge thank you also to Blakk Sportswear for working closely with us to bring the jersey and artwork to life.”
Joe Law – Western Cape College
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