Nunawading Unveils Indigenous Uniform

Melbourne – The Nunawading Spectres will take the court Friday night against the Hobart Chargers in the programs very first Indigenous uniform as part of the 2021 NBL1 South Indigenous Round.

Designed by Katie Bugden, a Wiradjuri Kamilaroi woman who grew up on Bundjalung land by the sea. Bugden also played in the inaugural NBL1 season, and designed the Melbourne Rebels Super Rugby First Nations jersey earlier this year.

Speaking on her design, Bugden said, “The design represents the strength and resilience of the people of the Kulin nation, the Warrior at the center is holding his spear and shield, he is painted in ochre. Surrounding him are the colours of country, the orange and yellows of our earth, the red of the blood shed by our ancestors who fought to keep our culture alive. The footprints of the kangaroo and emu represent the sport and culture moving ever forward, with the Yarra river at the top which is the lifeblood of the Wurundjeri and Boon Wurrung people whose land we live and compete on.”

Another feature of note is that the wordmark across the chest features the name Nunawading, rather than the usual Spectres. The name Nunawading, which is thought to be derived from an Aboriginal word meaning battlefield or ceremonial ground.

Nunawading Basketball then sought consultation from the Elders of the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung to ensure that the design was culturally appropriate.

The Nunawading Spectres Indigenous uniforms were made possible thanks in large to  a partnership with Burwood One Shopping Centre who have sponsored the 2021 Indigenous Round uniforms.

Fran Hutcheson, Marketing Manager at Burwood One Shopping Centre was excited to rekindle the partnership between Burwood One and the Nunawading Spectres and align with such an important theme as the NBL1 Indigenous Round and NAIDOC Week.

“Burwood One is thrilled to be a part of this partnership; being a part of building awareness towards better understanding of Indigenous Australians”.

Indigenous Round will be celebrated across the NBL1 South, the second time the event has been marked, the league introducing the round in its inaugural season in 2019, part of the larger NAIDOC Week (4-11 July 2021) celebrations.

About NAIDOC Week

NAIDOC Week celebrations are held across Australia each July to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. NAIDOC is celebrated not only in Indigenous communities, but by Australians from all walks of life. The week is a great opportunity to participate in a range of activities and to support your local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.

NAIDOC originally stood for ‘National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee’. This committee was once responsible for organising national activities during NAIDOC Week and its acronym has since become the name of the week itself. Find out more about the origins and history of NAIDOC Week.

Each year, there is a different focus city for the National NAIDOC Awards Ceremony. The focus city, National NAIDOC Poster Competition and the NAIDOC Awards recipients are selected by the National NAIDOC Committee.

Local community celebrations during NAIDOC Week are encouraged and often organised by communities, government agencies, local councils, schools and workplaces.

About Katie Bugden

Katie Bugden Art can be viewed and purchased online at https://katiebugdenart.com/

Or follow Katie Bugden Art on Instagram Katie Bugden (@katiebugden_art) • Instagram photos and videos

About Burwood One Shopping Centre

Burwood One Shopping Centre is located along Burwood Highway in Burwood, just 25km from the Melbourne CBD.

Renowned as the location of Australia’s first Kmart store which opened in 1969, Burwood One is anchored by a 24-hour Coles and Kmart and features 45+ specialty retailers.

Burwood One has an abundance of free car parking and is conveniently located close to public transport.

The address of the centre is 172-210 Burwood Hwy, Burwood VIC 3151.