Adelaide 36ers unveil indigenous round jersey

The Adelaide 36ers are proud to unveil their indigenous jersey for their indigenous game against Perth Wildcats on Sunday 23 May.

The design is by local indigenous artist Shane Mankitya Cook, a proud Wulli Wulli and Guwa (Koa) descendant from Queensland who has been adopted by and was named Mankitya "the scarred one" by the local Aboriginal Kaurna community in Adelaide and more mentored by Jack Buckskin of Kuma Kaaru.

Shane’s design for the Adelaide 36ers takes inspiration from the team's value of belonging and ensuring that all basketball fans feel like they are accepted. 

“The design of different sizes and different shapes represent the different communities around Australia,” Shane said.

“The lines connecting together represent when a team would travel from one state to the other to play against another community, while also paying respect to the traditional owners and their country which the games are played on,” he continued.

The nationally recognised contemporary artist has previously designed Indigenous Round football jerseys for the AFL and SANFL teams. As well as this, he has painted over 50 players' boots for the AFL Sir Douglas Nicholls Round and created artwork for one of Anthony Mundine’s last boxing fight kits.

Adelaide 36ers Keanu Pinder, who is only one of three indigenous players in the NBL, was born and raised in Derby, Western Australia, among the Nyigina people of the West Kimberley region. He will be wearing the special jersey at the game alongside his teammates to recognise the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities as the original custodians of the Australian land.

The Indigenous Round also celebrates the contribution and influence of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the history of Australian basketball.

Indigenous Round jerseys will be on sale to the public from Tuesday, 18 May with all proceeds going to the development of the League’s new Indigenous pathway programs.

The Adelaide 36ers are hosting their Indigenous Round game on Round 19, Sunday 23 May. All other clubs (excluding Brisbane) will host their Indigenous Round for their home games during Round 23 which also coincides with National Reconciliation Week, and will carry the same theme of ‘More than a Word’.

About Shane Mankitya Cook

From a young age Shane began learning traditional painting from his mother, his interests then developed further into graffiti culture, street art and tattooing as he got older. These art movements are hugely prominent in Shane’s unique contemporary style he has developed which has led him to becoming a nationally recognised artist. Shane’s works of art know no material boundaries from working on canvas, to participating in street art festivals, artist exchanges internationally and creating large scale murals. Shane is also an advocate for personal growth, practising culture through art and dance and played a key role in facilitating workshops in schools, the youth justice system and ­­community-based events throughout the country.

More about Shane Mankitya Cook

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