Designed by locally based artists, the Canberra Nationals & Gunners will take to the court in a striking new playing strip that combines the NAIDOC Theme for 2026 and First Nations storytelling.

Falling in NAIDOC Week, the NBL1 First Nations round provides the basketball community the opportunity to come together in the spirit of recognition and celebration of 50 years of NAIDOC.

NAIDOC Week celebrations are held across Australia in the first week of July each year (Sunday to Sunday), to celebrate and recognise the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. NAIDOC Week is an opportunity for all Australians to learn about First Nations cultures and histories and participate in celebrations of the oldest, continuous living cultures on earth.

The origins of NAIDOC can be traced back to a protest movement in 1938 which sparked annual recognition and celebration of Aboriginal culture, and the formation of National Aborigines Day Observance Committee (NADOC) in 1956.

Coming out of the 1967 referendum, the celebrations were expanded to one full week in July in the 1970s, and later the recognition of Torres Strait Islander people and culture. The committee then became known as the National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC). This new name has become the title for the whole week, not just the day.

This year, artists Margy Duke (Dunghutti, mid north coast of NSW) and Noah Flemming (Wiradjuri, southwest and central west NSW) have combined to design the amazing First Nations playing strip, which the Nationals and Gunners will wear this weekend against the Norths Bears at Southern Cross Basketball Stadium in Tuggeranong.

The First Nations design, pictured above and produced by BACT partners Athlead, has three significant elements of meaning, as outlined by the artists.

1. NAIDOC theme for 2026

The yellow parts of the playing singlets and shorts represent the NAIDOC theme for this year, which celebrates 50 years of NAIDOC.

“The words on the design showcase the 50 years of themes of NAIDOC with the footprints representing us as a people walking this 50-year journey of the celebration of our culture.”

2. The Three Brothers/Orion belt (front)

The “Three Brothers in the Sky” is an Aboriginal astronomical story, specifically known to the YolƋu people of Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory, which explains the stars in the constellation Orion.

The Story of Djulpan (The Canoe)
According to YolƋu tradition, the constellation commonly known as Orion’s Belt (the three stars in the centre) and the surrounding stars represent a story of transgression, law, and punishment:

  • The Fishermen: Three brothers went fishing in a canoe.
  • The Forbidden Fish: The brothers kept catching only Kingfish (sawfish). Because they belonged to the Nulkal clan, the law strictly forbade them from eating this fish.
  • The Transgression: Hunger took over, and one brother broke the tribal law by eating the fish.
  • The Punishment: The Sun-woman, Walu, witnessed this violation of lore and was furious. She created a waterspout that lifted the three brothers, their canoe, and the fish up into the sky, where they remain to this day as a warning to all to obey the tribal laws.

Astronomical Features in the Story
The YolƋu people identify this story in the sky (which they call Djulpan or Jupen) through specific star formations:

  • The Three Brothers: The three stars of Orion’s Belt.
  • The Canoe: The stars forming the feet and shoulders of Orion.
  • The Fish: The Orion Nebula, which can be seen trailing behind the belt.

Cultural Significance
This story is a crucial teaching tool that passes down cultural laws (Lore) regarding sustainability and respecting prohibitions.

It highlights that the stars are not just lights in the sky, but a “book” that highlights stories of law, seasonal changes, and social behaviour.

Note: While many Aboriginal stories involve “three brothers,” this specific account refers to the constellation Orion.

3. The Seven Sisters (back)

The Dreamtime story recounts a group of ancestral sisters fleeing the relentless pursuit of a shapeshifting sorcerer. The sisters use their wits to survive, ultimately escaping into the night sky to become the Pleiades star cluster.

The Seven Sisters Dreaming carries deep cultural meaning, centred on kinship, protection, and the strength of unity.

At its core, the story teaches the importance of staying together, respecting boundaries, and upholding cultural law. The sisters’ journey reflects women’s knowledge and authority, while their refusal to be separated reinforces the power of collective strength.

As a songline, the story also embeds knowledge into the landscape, linking places, people, and ancestral events across vast distances. Its presence in the sky as the Pleiades, pursued by Orion, mirrors this journey, connecting land and astronomy.

More than a story, the Seven Sisters Dreaming is a living system of law and identity, guiding relationships to Country and to each other.

The Canberra Nationals & Gunners host the Norths Bears this Saturday at the Southern Cross Basketball Stadium in Tuggeranong, as part of a mega day of Canberra Basketball, with both our Waratah League teams and both our Waratah Youth League teams also in action.

Six games from 11.30am, with tickets available via Flicket.