Having the title of ‘King’ isn’t the only thing Wayne Carey and Indigenous artist Sarrita King have in common; both will go down in North Melbourne history for leaving an indelible mark on the club, but for very different reasons.
While Carey’s on-field exploits are well documented and celebrated, Sarrita King’s impact is about to be felt throughout on the organisation, with the release of the Kangaroos’ first Indigenous jumper dubbed ‘Our Icon’.
Sought out by the club through its ties with the Ngarru Indigenous Art Gallery in Port Douglas, King was thrilled to be offered the opportunity to design the jumper.
“I thought this is something that I must be a part of,” King said.
“I am absolutely rapt to be involved in something that is so new and fresh but also something that is so important to the club.”
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(Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers should use caution when viewing this film as it may contain images and voices of deceased persons)
Soon after accepting the honour, King visited Arden Street to familiarise herself with the club, it staff and most importantly, Daniel Wells and Lindsay Thomas. The players with valuable input into the look and feel of the creation.
King describes herself as a ‘story teller’ and quickly understood the history of the club and its deep ties to Indigenous culture. Her inspiration comes from her experiences growing up with her family in the Northern Territory and her father, a famous artist, who taught her about her Aboriginal heritage and the connection to the world.
King says the jumper symbolises “everyone; the supporters and the players coming together at the one place; the North Melbourne footy club.”
Her stunning work has purpose; each symbol tells an important part of the club’s story.
“I wanted it to have lots of Kangaroo feet, to symbolise everyone travelling.
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| The arrow-like symbols represent Kangaroo paw-prints. |
“The lines are the journey and the different circles represent everyone coming from all different communities to meet at the club.
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| The small circles represent tribes, camp sites, communities, cities and different groups of people. |
“The Kangaroo paw print in the centre is the North Melbourne community, which is brought together on the field,” she explained.
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| The centrepiece is a large Kangaroo paw-print, both feet side by side, in the middle of an oval. |
CLICK HERE TO PRE-ORDER YOUR GUERNSEY
The jumper will be worn in Round 11, which celebrates the Indigenous culture that runs through the AFL and this holds a special place in King’s heart.
“It’s great to be able to run out on the field, even if it is only for that one day and show that pride in where you have come from and what you have built.”
To own a unique piece of NMFC history you can pre-order your Indigenous jumper today.
This is a limited edition piece with only 360 available.
Who is Sarrita King?
Sarrita King, designer of North Melbourne’s first Indigenous jumper, was born in 1988 and belongs to the Gurindji people.
She grew up in the Northern Territory and is the daughter of famous artist, late William King Jungala. King’s inspiration comes from her experiences growing up with her family and from her father who taught her about her Aboriginal heritage and the connection between everything in our world.
The 26 year-old paints a diverse range of styles but is recognised for her unique style of very fine dot painting and is known to flick the painting stick to "tail" each dot to create a mesmerising effect of movement.
King readily accepted the challenge of designing North’s jumper after being sought out by the club because of its ties with the Ngarru Indigenous Art Gallery in Port Douglas.
King describes herself as a storyteller through her art and lives by the quote “Do what you love... Love what you do” which she exemplifies through her work and everything she does.
