Power to wear Sam Powell-Pepper indigenous jumper three times — and in Shanghai as Port Adelaide’s China strategy grows

Sam Powell-Pepper has designed Port Adelaide’s indigenous jumper that will go international this season with the Power’s game in China

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Sam Powell-Pepper has put himself into the Port Adelaide indigenous jumper — that will go international this season — and found it confronting but fulfilling.

“I was not sure at first if I wanted to (design the guernsey) because I had to learn about my culture,” said Powell-Pepper, the West Australian with an Aboriginal mother and English father.

“Growing up with my (grandmother) I was not 100 per cent sure (of his heritage), but after this experience I am so proud of my background.”

Powell-Pepper’s jumper — that continues the theme at Alberton of having the Power’s Aboriginal players design the indigenous guernsey — will first be worn against Hawthorn in Launceston on May 25.

Port Adelaide will then be the first AFL club to take an indigenous jumper overseas with this year’s China game — against St Kilda in Shanghai on June 2 — being part of the Power adding Aboriginal culture to the international match.

Brad Haynes of Rio Tinto, Power midfielder Sam Powell-Pepper, Port Adelaide legend Gavin Wanganeen and Yellaka Dancers Karl Winda Telfer, Karno Kari Martin and Jakirah Waruyu Telfer. Picture: Sarah Reed

AFL indigenous partner Rio Tinto — that is also one of Port Adelaide’s partners in China — will sponsor the Yellaka dance group’s trip to Shanghai. The Aboriginal dancers will introduce the Chinese audience to the “Welcome to Country” presentation at the start of the Power-Saints match.

Port Adelaide will reserve wearing SPP’s jumper at home at Adelaide Oval with the Round 14 clash with Geelong on June 22.

There are six elements to Powell-Pepper’s design, including the goanna track in the teal yoke.

“This is my tribute to my people — and symbolic of my journey,” Powell-Pepper said.

The 16 indigenous players and staff at Port Adelaide are represented in four circles on the lower-left edge of the jumper.

All 46 Power players are shown with art work on the right breast. “Over the heart as one heart,” Powell-Pepper said.

The Port River is drawn on the jumper “to respect,” says Powell-Pepper, “our land and our people in the Port Adelaide community.”

Sam Powell-Pepper in the Power’s 2019 Indigenous Round Jumper. Picture: Sarah Reed

Alberton Oval is symbolised on the bottom right of the jumper at the end of “a track our supporters walk, in good times and bad.”

Brownlow Medallist and Power inaugural AFL captain Gavin Wanganeen, a successful Aboriginal artist, has marked Powell-Pepper’s design as a “great job”.

“Great themes presented in a simple design,” Wanganeen said. “It will be interesting when we present this and the dancers to the Chinese and tell them that our Aboriginal culture is older than theirs. That should strike up a conversation — and get us a good starting point for connections in China where they value old cultures.”

Powell-Pepper, 21, presented his design to his team-mates last week.

“It was a bit daunting until my team-mates told me how they were proud of my culture — and they love my design and its meaning,” Powell-Pepper said.

Rio Tinto vice-president for corporate relations Brad Haynes has backed the Power’s cultural play with its “China Strategy” as a key to enhancing Australia-China business relationships.

“Showcasing Australia’s indigenous game by presenting Australia’s indigenous culture will do wonders to Australia-China relations,” he said.