The Gold Coast SUNS on Friday launched its latest cultural initiative titled "Our Cultural Journey".
Designed by SUNS player and Indigenous artist Jy Farrar, Our Cultural Journey is a piece of artwork which will be collaboratively contributed to by the many patrons of Metricon Stadium this season.
Beginning from the club’s Round 6 game against the Brisbane Lions, attendees at Gold Coast SUNS home matches will have the opportunity to add their fingerprint to the artwork which will ultimately be displayed at Metricon Stadium after the 2022 Toyota AFL Premiership Season.
Farrar said he was thrilled to be able to share his culture with the club and the Gold Coast community.
“I think it’s amazing that this opportunity has come about and it’s a great way to bring each other together through art so that’s something that I’m really proud of,” Farrar said.
“It’s not only good for us but it’s good for the fans and all the members as well.
“We’re all connected and we want to bring that into non-Indigenous culture, we want everyone to be together and united and that’s what we want at our footy club as well.
The fingerprints symbolise the club’s members, supporters and the Gold Coast community all coming together to be a part of the club’s cultural journey.
The sun will be centrepiece of the design, representing the club. There will also be ‘U’ shapes on the artwork which will represent the members and supporters sitting down and watching GC SUNS games.
The stick shapes included in the artwork will represent the goalposts at the ground.
The concept was first conceived by a non-Indigenous staff member at the SUNS, highlighting the buy-in throughout the entire club on the importance of cultural acknowledgement and education.
In his new role as Indigenous Programs Coordinator, former player and Gold Coast SUNS life member Jarrod Harbrow has also been heavily involved in the initiative.
“We want all of our supporters to be a part of our club’s cultural journey,” Harbrow said.
“For me culture is an everyday thing, it’s not just waiting until NAIDOC Week or Sir Doug Nicholls Round so I feel it’s really important that we’re able to share our culture in any given round.
“There’s a lot of things that go unnoticed within our four walls of our football club, so this is just a small piece of bringing that to life for everyone to see.
“We want to be a culturally supportive and inclusive football club and embrace all people from all different cultures and backgrounds.”
The first strokes of the artwork have begun today, with the final piece set to be ready for contribution from members and supporters at the club’s Round 6 home match.
