Basketball NSW is pleased to share the unveiling of a specially designed Aboriginal work of art with the basketball community.
This artwork was designed to celebrate Aboriginal history, location, culture in NSW and honour the original custodians of the land. The specially commissioned piece will coincide with BNSW’s first Reconciliation Action Plan that will be launched in 2022, with the official launch taking place at the State Conference.
The inaugural Reconciliation Action Plan will provide opportunities to reflect and learn from the activities that we have carried out in the past and further develop strategies to provide meaningful opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, through greater cultural understanding, strong community partnerships that support multiple pathways and opportunities, relationships & heritage, and mentorship for athletes, officials and administrators.
BNSW engaged Campfire X, an Indigenous creative solutions company to follow correct Indigenous art protocols.
‘The land we share’ created by Jordan Ardler who is from the Aboriginal community in La Perouse “represents how the land meets the waters. Rivers, ocean, grass and bush land are the main source of our survival and have been since the beginning of time.
Yellow outlined circles within the background of the artwork identify every Aboriginal community in NSW. The dotted wavy blue lines represent the beauty in our shorelines, erosions the ocean creates on our land and riverbanks. Yellow dotted lines show how our song lines continue to be present throughout our journey of life.
The central symbols symbolise the connection between communities, our lands and culture continuously sharing knowledge and stories. The white circular patterns fading out of the central figures portrays the ripple effect, ongoing growth, strength and power that our cultural practices present to us which allows our future generations to understand our surroundings.
The arch figures at the bottom of the design represent and acknowledge our ancestors in our past who paved the way for our present.”
Basketball NSW is proud to be focussing on this area to improve access and pathways for Aborginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to participate in basketball. BNSW will continue to support the local community and is proud to contribute to preserving the rich and vibrant history of our state.
Basketball NSW CFO and RAP Working Group Chair, Caroline McLuckie, reflects on the artwork and what it means for Basketball NSW, “We are really excited and proud to be able to share Jordan’s magnificent piece of artwork with our community. The story of the artwork highlights our various basketball communities throughout metro and country NSW, and the connections which unites each and every one of those. These connections are what makes basketball in our state special as well as recognising the significant contribution that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples have made to basketball in NSW.”
The artwork will be embedded into various elements of Basketball NSW strategies, activities and programs. It will permanently be on our state team uniforms, our website, and will be visible at key events. We look forward to being able to share this and more with you all in early 2022”
Basketball NSW acknowledges the Wangal People, the traditional owners of the land on which Basketball NSW HQ is located, and pays respect to their Elders past and present. That respect is extended to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples throughout NSW on whose land our basketball community meet, gather and play.