Select grade below

WAFLW Indigenous Round

Thursday, May 25, 2023 - 4:10 PM

The WAFLW will celebrate Indigenous Round this weekend with clubs wearing specially designed jumpers. 

Rio Tinto is again supporting the production of Indigenous-design jumpers for Round 12 of the competition, which coincides with the beginning of National Reconciliation Week from May 27 to June 3. 

Swan Districts will be playing in new jumper designs as they host matches this weekend. 

The black and white’s jumper design is from the mural at Steel Blue Oval, designed and painted by local artist and proud Whadjuk-Yuet-Ballardong man, Kevin Bynder.

The design is an ancient satellite map showing places of significance along the Derbarl Yerrigan near the club’s home ground in Bassendean. 

It serves as an important cultural reference point and educational tool. 

Bynder says the jumper has special meaning to him. 

“I was proud when asked to do this design as my grandfather was born just 500m from Swans, on the river. 

“So, this design has a special part of my heart being able to represent my grandfather’s life,” Bynder said. 

The map includes significant places over thousands of years including massacre sites, burial sites, meeting locations, camp sites, fishing spots, as well where expecting mothers would go to give birth.

Swan Districts and Steel Blue Oval are represented in the map as a Swan inside an oval using the symbol for a meeting place.