INDIGENOUS GUERNSEY REVEAL

Sherry Johnstone is the mother of two of our Indigenous old boys , Dion (' 16 ) and Fletcher (' 20 ). She is an award-winning artist and has the honour of creating the Geelong Football Club guernsey for Indigenous Round in 2024 . We approached Sherry in 2022 to see if she was willing to create a Scotch Indigenous top for all our 1sts Winter Sport teams and she was delighted to accept our offer . She then set about getting input from our current Indigenous boys and some of our Old Boys . The result is an amazing set of works that encapsulates the connection of Scotch to our land and the Indigenous people . Sherry produced a home strip and an alternative clash strip which has been incredibly well received by the Scotch community .

DR ROB SMITH - HEAD OF INDIGENOUS PROGRAMS

The boomerang represents being able to come back to Scotch . Inside the boomerang are the windows of opportunity that Scotch opens up for the boys , creating networks and career options – Sherry in regard to Fletcher Johnstone (' 20 ) ( The Yarra )

The 11 U shapes inside the gathering place in the middle represent 10 Scotch boys plus Rob and the surrounding animals at Scotch – Aiden Circles represent everybody coming from different places , different mobs – Jack

The Yarra River flowing past Scotch – Jack Ison ( Year 10 )

Shapes outside the circle represent our culture and our ancestors surrounding us – Jack / Sherry

The crocodile represents

Caleb Nancarrow ' s totem

SHARING OUR CULTURE CREATES A GREATER

' Last August I spent an hour with some of the Indigenous boys , talking about my own artworks and showing them how I represent different meanings with different symbols , to inspire and guide them to sketch their own story onto a blank guernsey template . I loved hearing the stories behind their creations , creatively expressing and capturing their thoughts and cultural perspective .

I then took their sketched guernsey designs home and created the new Scotch guernseys using elements from each one .

It was a privilege to be asked to work with the boys to create Scotch ' s first Indigenous guernseys and an honour to unveil it to the school at Assembly , and be part of such a significant moment in Scotch ' s history .

I am very impressed that Scotch not only made them for the 1sts football team but for all the 1sts sports teams , as sharing our culture can only create a greater awareness and understanding , working towards reconciliation and a more united future .'

SHERRY JOHNSTONE

The guernsey designs incorporate ideas and totems originating from current and past Scotch Indigenous students . Sherry Johnstone ’ s comments about these ideas and totems appear next to the guernseys .

Looks like an everyday tree but its roots are ancient , it ’ s been here a long time , like our people , traditions , stories and culture – Aiden / Sherry

28 Great Scot Issue 169 – September 2023

Great Scot 169_September_2023_E-MAG | Page 30

INDIGENOUS GUERNSEY REVEAL