As celebration of NAIDOC round in 2024 we are proud to unveil our specially designed socks featuring artwork by Holly Ryan, a gifted First Nations artist from the Mornington Peninsula, VIC. Holly, also known as Kutjarra, has had a passion for art since childhood. Her journey in reconnecting with her Indigenous culture, which was impacted by the Stolen Generations, has been a driving force in her artistic expression.

Holly has recently started showcasing her Indigenous art to the public as a means to learn and reconnect with a heritage that was taken from her family. Descended from ‘Jo Johnson’, the first Indigenous man to play AFL, she passionately uses her artistic skills to express emotions through intuitive paintings on canvas, wood, and digital means.

Holly has collaborated with various small Indigenous-owned businesses and local sporting clubs to raise awareness of Indigenous rounds and culture within her community.

Holly’s artwork on our socks reflects the core values of Community at Southern United Hockey Club. She explains, “This piece shows the core value of community for Southern United Hockey Club. Throughout the centre, I have created journey lines and ‘meeting places’ to symbolise the journey this club has been through, such as the merging between Sandringham and Moorabbin hockey clubs at Southern United’s beginning. I have placed a lightning bolt inside the symbol for ‘family’ to show the community that this club has and how they represent a ‘family club’. Additionally, I have added 12 symbols for ‘person’,
representing the amount of players on a hockey field (plus the coach).”

At Southern United Hockey Club, located on the traditional lands of the Bunurong People of the Kulin Nation, we recognise and respect the enduring connection that Indigenous Australians have with this land. We recognise their continued connection to Country and their role in caring for and maintaining Country and waterways over thousands of generations. By framing both Holly’s artwork and the socks adorned with her designs, we celebrate and promote
Indigenous art and culture within our community.

Join us in honouring Holly’s creativity and acknowledging the Bunurong People of the Kulin Nation, the traditional custodians of the land on which we play.