Fremantle’s AFLW team will wear an Indigenous jumper for the first time when they run out against Collingwood in round three at Fremantle Oval on Saturday 22 February.
Using the chevrons and purple background as a basis of the design, the jumper includes a number of drawings that hold significance to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, with a particular focus on stories and lore on Indigenous women.
A descendant of the Stolen Generation, midfielder Jasmin Stewart played a key role in the planning and design of the jumper.
She had assistance from board member and senior Noongar woman Colleen Hayward, Noongar Elder and no.1 ticket holder Richard Walley and teammates Gemma Houghton, Kara Antonio and Ebony Antonio.
The jumper features tapping sticks in place of the chevrons and the club is represented by the sun at the base of the front of the jumper.
The seven icons around the disc allude to the story of the Seven Sisters and the walking tracks signify the journey of the seven language groups represented by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures of current and past Fremantle AFLW players.
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Stewart said that the jumper was designed to have meaning for all of Fremantle’s AFLW players.
“A lot of the design is focused on empowering women as a whole and it symbolises our unity as a team,” Stewart said.
“I think the way it’s been designed has been perfect for our football club and what we’re looking to carry through the season.
“The jumper means a lot and it’s so, so special. Everything that has been put into the jersey goes beyond words and if I do get the chance to play in it, that would mean a lot to me.”
At the top of the jumper is a hibiscus flower, which is known as the National Sorry Day Flower.
As they have with their men’s jumpers, the Kimberley Stolen Generation Aboriginal Corporation have given Fremantle permission to use the flower in this jumper’s design.
Stewart said it meant a lot to see Fremantle continue to acknowledge the Stolen Generation.
“It’s so important to continue the tradition of having the Sorry Day flower on the women’s jerseys,” Stewart said.
“My Nana was a part of the Stolen Generation and she’s been a part of the guard of honour for Fremantle’s Sir Doug Nicholls Round games for a number of years now.
“I feel grateful to have her background feeding my knowledge of my culture, and it’s an honour to be able to share her story.”
MEANING BEHIND THE JUMPER
Tapping sticks
In the past Fremantle’s AFL Indigenous jumpers have replaced the chevrons with boomerangs as the feature design on the jumper. The AFLW jumper features tapping sticks in place of the boomerangs, as tapping sticks are traditionally used by Aboriginal women to dig for bush tucker and are also used as an instrument in ceremonies.
The Sun
The club is represented by the disc in the middle which also symbolises the sun, a female representation in many Aboriginal cultures.
Weave Pattern
The tapping sticks and the sun are drawn with a weave pattern design. Traditionally, Aboriginal women would make baskets and clothing by weaving and the practice was also a chance for women to come together to talk and share stories.
The Seven Sisters
The seven icons around the disc represent women and is a reference to the Seven Sisters songline and constellation.
The walking tracks
The walking tracks originate at the back of the jumper to the disc on the front, travelling from the seven language groups that have been represented by a Fremantle AFLW player in current and past teams. These language groups are Whadjuk, Noongar, Balardong, Goreng, Jaru, Meriam Mir and Yindjibarndi.
1967
At the top of the back of the jumper, the year 1967 refers to the AFLW playing group’s wish to acknowledge the 1967 referendum and its importance in Australian history. The 1967 referendum altered the Australian Constitution. More than 90 per cent of Australian voters chose ‘Yes’ to count Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the census and give the Australian Government the power to make laws for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
