Adelaide 36ers release NBL25 Indigenous jersey

NBL25 Indigenous jersey artist - Mali Isabel

Mali Isabel is an Arabana and Kokatha artist, living and practising on Kaurna land (Adelaide), Australia.

In 2020, Isabel graduated from a Bachelor of Arts (Primary Education) at Flinders University, before pursuing her career as a practising artist. 

Isabel creates contemporary dot paintings using all colours of the rainbow to spread her message of positivity and equality.

By combining her passions for education and painting, Mali hopes to achieve a greater understanding of culture and equity through her rainbow artworks.

Through her combination of traditional dot painting, her hallmark use of colour, and contemporary style, Isabel creates bright and magical artworks that aim to spread joy and positivity, encourage meaningful conversations, and share personal stories and worldly experiences.

A proud Arabana and Kokatha woman, Isabel loves to draw inspiration from the land that surrounds her, capturing the environments and translating them into magical landscapes. 

Stories are deeply entwined in her paintings, many of which highlight feelings, themes, and experiences that transcend all cultures, races, and religions. 

The underlying goal of this is to embed the understanding that we are all human and deserve to be treated with equal respect and kindness.

Jersey story - Tultyurrinthi (come together)

The Tultyurrinthi artwork (come together) is inspired by the Adelaide 36ers community and the land the team represents. 

The jersey pays homage to beautiful Kaurna Yerta and the diverse history and culture that we get to share alongside the Kaurna miyurna (people).

Using the colours kaarukaaru (red), kardalta (blue) and wirranirana (yellow), Isabel has created an artwork that represents the Adelaide 36ers community that embraces and welcomes all the people regardless of their differences.

The jersey features the shape of Kaurna Yerta which is covered by the Aboriginal flag to show pride of our Aboriginal culture and land.

There is a man sitting beside the land to represent each male who has played for the team past and present. There are 15 stars to represent the current players on the team. 

Kangaroo, emu and human tracks are all travelling to the same location to support each other and come together as one. 

The sides of the jersey features four meeting places to acknowledge the four championships the club has won. The NBL25 Indigenous uniform features seven meeting places, the meanings of these meeting places shift in the eye of the beholder so people have the opportunity create personal meaning of the places that feel like wardli-ana (home) to them. 

Isabel collaborated and gained inspiration from traditional owner Drew Kilner, who is a young Kaurna and Ngarrindjeri man from south of Adelaide.