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The individual Totems of players from all corners of our country and traditional dot art to represent the different journeys each took to join the Brisbane Lions are the features of the Club’s 2020 Indigenous guernsey.
The guernsey, designed by veteran Allen Christensen, pays respect to all the current Indigenous players from the Brisbane Lions AFL and AFLW teams.
The Totems, which circle a Lion on the front of the guernsey, tell the stories of each players’ family or clan and defines their roles and responsibilities.
Flying foxes, emus, lizards and sharks are some of the Totem’s of the Lions’ current Indigenous players.
Christensen said each player had a unique heritage and the use of Totems on the design allowed the club to celebrate the individuality of the Indigenous players.
“Totems represent who we are, they are an important part of our identities,’’ he said.
By connecting the Totems with dot art he was able to illustrate the merging of different cultures together at the Club.
“None of the lines are symmetrical and that illustrates that not every journey is the same but we are all in the same place as one mob,” he said.
He said the events of 2020 had made a profound impact on the Indigenous community in Australia and to be able to celebrate his culture through the design of the guernsey was a special feeling.
“The guernsey has been designed to represent the current Indigenous players of the Club. This year has been like no other, so to be able to create a design that represents us Indigenous players for 2020 has been an honour,’’ he said.
Modern Aboriginal brush art is also used in the design to incorporate the Club colours. The base of the guernsey features the Lions colours with maroon fading into red at the very bottom as a nod to the Lions’ Fitzroy roots.
Player Totems
Allen Christensen’s Totem is Tarnikini, a flying fox that represents his family and the Tiwi Islands.
Charlie Cameron’s Totem is Thanba, a shovelnose shark which is the male Totem from the Gunbah Clan of Mornington Island.
Cedric Cox’s (Jaru – Western Australia) totem is a lizard, which was latched to him as a child, which is how his Totem belongs to him.
Callum Ah Chee, from Bindjareb country, through his Mum, has a Bindjareb animal totem given to him by his Pop and clan Elder. The Kwoora, a wallaby, is his responsibility to treat them well and with respect.
Cameron Ellis-Yolmen, the sleepy Lizard represents the Kothara/Wirrungu people of the West Coast of South Australia. His Totem has a strong exterior and manner and tells him to always be loyal.
Keidean Coleman – the kangaroo represents his tribe, the Dalabon people of the Northern Territory.
Ally Anderson, is a Gangulu (Central Queensland) and her Totem is an emu which is her family’s Totem.
Dakota Davidson’s Totem Connewarre, or black swan represents her great, great grandfather’s family from the Gunditjmara/Ngarrindjeri mob in Point McLeay, South West Victoria.
