Featuring artwork reflecting the Gweagal peoples, Kurnell, Sharks families, surrounding communities and an acknowledgement to the Aboriginal lands of the Sharks home ground at PointsBet Stadium, the Kurranulla Sharks have launched their 2023 Indigenous Jersey.
The release of the 2023 jersey also coincides with next week’s NRL Indigenous Round, with the Sharks to play the Newcastle Knights in Coffs Harbour on Saturday afternoon in the striking jersey design.
This year the Sharks have added a polo shirt and hoodie, also featuring Indigenous design, to the merchandise range, with the jersey designed by Aboriginal artist Jordan Ardler, paying respect to Sharks players and Elders of the local communities past, present and emerging.
“I call my artwork ‘The Unseen’,” Ardler began. “I paint memories, emotions, songs, feelings. I make the invisible, visible. Looking out at a sunrise I thought it was important to include. Being saltwater people, the oceans are home. Its contents is part of our dreaming and lifestyle, and fire continues to be survival and protection.
“The imagery of ocean and fires are a perfect image of self-reflection. Our eyes initiate memories in our mind, which reflect on the past, expose the present so we can foresee our future,” she added.
The design also recognised and represented the Gweagal people, the traditional owners of the land on which the Sharks live and play.
“Gweagal people are known as fire people. They have many song lines which are known as ‘Fire Stories’ that relate to the flames which spark a sense of connectedness and warmth in culture, family and tradition. They used fire as a resource for survival, protection and warmth for shelter,” Ardler explained.
“Captain Cook’s arrival was met and resisted by the Gweagal people. The silhouette is a representation of that strength, resilience and pride of survival.”
Also outlined in the jersey design are the Gweagal spears, used for protection and fishing, with the spears representing a significant part of the history of the local region.
The 2023 Sharks Indigenous jersey is now on sale at the Sharks Store on line, while stocks will be available in store from tomorrow (Saturday) at the Sharks Shop at Sharks at Kareela.
Jersey are available in men’s, women’s and youth sizes.
Also included in the 2023 Indigenous range is a polo shirt in men’s sizing’s and a hoodie in men’s and youths.
The Sharks Merchandise van will be in Coffs Harbour for the week of the Indigenous Round match with the Knights, including at the ground at the C ex International Stadium on game day.
CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE YOUR 2023 INDIGENOUS RANGE GEAR
Sharks 2023 Indigenous Jersey Symbology
The white central symbol on the front of the jersey is home of the Cronulla Sharks and its players, their journey of growth while being at the club, much like the artwork, the beauty of it is in the process. Ms Ardler met with the Longbottom and Mason families to share their stories.
The circular symbols represent past, present and future., the white dotted line on the stomach is an outline of the Kurnell community, the six wavy dotted lines on the back represent significant beaches and close connected communities from Kurnell to the South Coast and the circle symbols on the top of the chest represent the men’s and women’s team connected by the shorelines of the ocean.
The white columns across the orange on the back represent the fans and their families, as well as the land, sea and sky, the grass and sunrise over the ocean (background), while the orange dotted line on the chest acknowledges and represents each step elders have taken to get us to where we are today.
