At Broncos HQ in Term 3, Beyond the Broncos and RPSHS student Kamiah, a proud Yidinji, Ngarrindjeri, Ngaiawang, Ngarguruka young woman and talented artist, personally presented the hand-painted boots to Brisbane Broncos star Selwyn Cobbo, a proud Wakka Wakka man. It was a special moment, rich with pride and meaning, as artist and athlete came together to celebrate culture through sport. 🏉
Over the school holidays, Kamiah attended a workshop with renowned Quandamooka artist, Casey Coolwell . Kamiah created a brilliant piece to honour Selwyn's culture and connection to his home town Cherbourg.
Every brushstroke carries a meaning, see Kamiah's artist statement below:
"The right boot represents Aboriginal peoples, using earthy tones, the dots around the boots represent all shades of 'skin', and how we are all one no matter the colour of our skin. There are also two carpet snakes on the boot, which is Selwyn’s totem. On the inside of the boot, the phrase “one community” is painted above the Nike tick which matches with the other boot where it has “many tribes” which is Cherbourg’s community motto, while the other side of the boot has “WAKKA WAKKA”, a tribute to Selwyn’s heritage as a proud Wakka Wakka man. They serve as cultural markers, grounding the boots in identity and pride. On the left boot the vibrant orange colour was made to stand out and be different from everyone else, with blue and yellow dots around the boot representing Murgon High the high school Selwyn went to. There is also a hornet on the front, which is the logo of Cherbourg hornets, which again represent Cherbourg but also Selwyn’s junior club. Also, above the little Nike tick on the inside of the boot there is a line of people, which represents the ration shed they have in Cherbourg. Last thing I added was an Aboriginal flag with the symbol of a man in the sun, showing that Selwyn is a strong and proud aboriginal man. This boot overall just represents Selwyn as a person and where he comes from.".png)
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