Photo Credit: Adelaide Strikers
Tarntanya Kuntuluntularna (Adelaide Strikers) will once again don their First Nations Kit this Friday, January 20 at 4pm against Perth Scorchers at Adelaide Oval on Kaurna Land, to reaffirm their commitment to deepening meaningful connections with Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People.
The KFC BBL First Nations Round consists of 11 matches across eight days with the Adelaide Strikers wearing their kits for two home games and an away game against Sydney Sixers at Gumbaynggirr (Coffs Harbour).
Adelaide Strikers Head Coach, Jason Gillespie, whom the trophy in which the two teams will be playing for is named after, is proud to see Indigenous culture being celebrated during First Nations Round.
“The more conversations we can have and the more learnings we can have about Indigenous culture, where we come from, Welcome to Country, the land, I think that is an education for people that may not know much about Indigenous culture which is a good stepping stone and will continue the conversation and learning which is really important,” Gillespie said.
The First Nations Round kit, named Karrampu Manku-nthi, meaning ‘to catch something that has been hit or thrown from above’, was designed by Aboriginal artist Allan Sumner, a descendent of the Ngarrindjeri, Kaurna and Yankunytjajara people.
The primary element of the Allan Sumner designed shirt is the centric circles in the middle of the artwork. These represent the cricket ground with batter and bowler facing at either end. The dots on either side represent the cricket ball as it is hit and thrown across the field.
The other two features are the hands of the players on the sleeves and the different shades of blue dots, which represent different communities across the country where the Kuntuluntularna (Strikers) play.
“I think the artist has put together a wonderful kit for the teams, I personally love seeing the First Nations Round kit, I’d love to see it worn every round,” Gillespie said.
During the game Kaurna language cricket terms will be used including Warru (wicket), Yarapurla (four), Marru (six), Karpa (an over), Nurnti-Nhurnti (a ball goes down the off side), Parnati (the ball comes down on the leg side), Padno (to go), Yuwa (stop) and Nakutha (stop).
As part of the celebrations on Friday, there will be several First Nations Round activities for Strikers fans of all ages to enjoy.
Meez On Plus, an event catering business specialising in Australian Native Foods, will be showing patrons how they cook with the Native plants and ingredients that will be used in the dishes on offer: Barra Tacos with Native Greens Salad & Lemon Myrtle Mayo, Roo Dog in a Charcoal Bun with Karkalla Relish, Cheese, Warrigals, Caramelised Onion & Muntrie Mayo, Bush Tomato Soup with Wattleseed Toasts and Saltbush Chips (Veg) and Salt & Pepperberry Croc with Native Greens Noodle Salad & Karkalla Verjuice Dressing.
There will also be a live Welcome to Country and Barefoot Circle with Uncle Moogy and Isaac Hannam, Kookaburra Dreaming owner Katie Gribble will be holding a kid’s painting station and much more.
Contemporary Indigenous dance group Of Desert and Sea will also be performing on ground ahead of the Welcome to Country ceremony.
Tickets to Friday afternoon’s First Nations Round at Adelaide Oval, Kaurna, against the Perth Scorchers are available to be purchased here.
Name of Author: Adelaide Strikers
The Adelaide Strikers are an Australian professional Twenty20 cricket team based in Adelaide, South Australia, competing in the Big Bash League (BBL). Established in 2011, they succeeded the Southern Redbacks, who played in the now-defunct KFC Twenty20 Big Bash. The Strikers play their home games at the Adelaide Oval and wear a cornflower blue uniform.
