Photo Credit: Brisbane Heat
Brisbane Heat fans will have the opportunity to own a slice of club history with the First Nations signed jersey auction, closing 9am Monday 23 January.
Bid on your favourite player’s jersey, signed by each member of the Heat’s BBL|12 and WBBL|08 squad. All money raised will be donated to the Queensland Cricket Foundation to invest in initiatives that create positive differences in Queensland communities, including Indigenous health & wellbeing programs.
The men’s team will proudly don the Indigenous jersey for their match against the Hobart Hurricanes this Friday 20 January at the Gabba.
BID ON A JERSEY
The Indigenous design for the Heat playing strips is the result of a collaboration between Heat WBBL player Mikayla Hinkley and Brisbane Indigenous artist, Delores McDonald (“Aunty Delly”).
The story behind the Heat’s First Nations Jersey
WBBL player Mikayla Hinkley is a proud Kunja woman whose family hails from Cunnamulla, south of Charleville, and is a close friend of artist Aunty Delly.
The unique jersey design captures the stories and connection to country around Brisbane and the Gabba. The artwork features the rainbow serpent (signifying the Brisbane River) and local water holes (Woolloongabba meaning “place of whirling water”), along with other significant Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural history.
“Rather than just being an art piece, I think it’s a real statement and conversation starter which gives Indigenous youth something to aspire to; and really illustrates where we want to take this sport in the Indigenous space,” Hinkley said.
“The storytelling element visualises where we want to take cricket within the Indigenous community in Queensland.
“With the NAIDOC theme being Heal Country this year, it’s really fitting for what we are trying to achieve as an organisation, both from the Brisbane Heat and the Queensland Cricket perspective.
“The fact we’ve been able to visualise such an amazing story and history of culture in this city gives these kids something to aspire to; and encourages them to keep connecting with culture through playing cricket.”
The stories behind the Heat’s Indigenous jersey design:
- Front: flames of Heat logo, Gabba circle with players sitting, circle represents harmony and unity, bringing players and fans together.
- Back: Brisbane River with its abundance of foods, plus animal and human tracks. Rainbow serpent/snake represents both male and female. Circle represents Gabba, plus roads travelled to and from it by teams.
- Sleeve: Centre circle is Gabba, alongside other water holes which used to be near the ground. 87 black strokes on red earth represent the wickets taken by Aboriginal great, Eddie Gilbert (23 games for Qld).
Name of Author: Brisbane Heat
The Brisbane Heat are an Australian professional cricket team competing in the Big Bash League (BBL), representing both men’s and women’s cricket. Based in Brisbane, Queensland, the Heat succeeded the Queensland Bulls, who played in the former KFC Twenty20 Big Bash. The team wears a teal uniform and plays at the Brisbane Cricket Ground, known as The Gabba.
