Meet the artist: Rhianne Williams

For this year’s Indigenous Round, the team will be wearing a design by Rhianne Williams, a proud Kaiadilt woman who grew up supporting the CQUniversity Cairns Taipans. Williams is currently based in Brisbane and was inspired by all Indigenous basketball players throughout Queensland for this year’s uniform.

TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF, AND HOW YOU FELL IN LOVE WITH ART AND PAINTING:

My sister and I started painting and sharing our stories and teachings from our grandmother “Riningati” who we have named our art after. I am a descendent of the Kaiadilt people of Bentinck Island, part of the group of Islands in the South Wellesley Islands in the Gulf of Carpentaria. I grew up in the small isolated Indigenous community of Mornington Island with my Mum and Dad and our extended Kaiadilt family before moving to Cairns to finish my schooling.

I recall the day I picked up the paint brush again so vividly. It was at the time that my Mum had begun her treatment for lung cancer. I was living on the Gold Coast and my sister had flown back to Cairns to support her, leaving my niece in my care. I went out one day and bought a bunch of paint and canvases, went home and started painting on the living room floor with my niece. 

My mother would share stories with us of our grandmother’s (Riningati) life from when she was a girl growing up in the missionary. I had travelled to many of those places when my sister and I were young kids and those stories and images started to flow from my head to my hand and then on to the canvas I use.

I started a piece called “Coming Home,” which was about my mother’s cancer and the many tracks that kept leading into the centre. It took me almost three months to complete and I tried selling it after my mum had passed to pay for her funeral costs, but it didn’t sell. It didn’t make sense why nobody bought it but eventually I understood it was a piece for myself. It now has a place in my home and reminds me daily of my mother’s fight to beat cancer.

EXPLAIN THE CONCEPT BEHIND THE TAIPANS’ INDIGENOUS KIT THIS YEAR, AND THE STORY BEHIND THE DESIGN.

The concept behind my design is to showcase three main factors into one story about the people, the place and the culture. I have created a design that recognises and acknowledges four key Indigenous players that have played for the Cairns Taipans over past years. (Tim Duggan, Deba George, Kerry Williams and Nathan Jawai), but also reflects all our Indigenous players across North Queensland and their cultural heritage.

The tracks leading out from the centre of the jersey is a representation of the players and their connection with their respective communities outside of Cairns. 

The circle symbolises a meeting place where the players come and go to share their talents and love for the sport.

The turtles are a representation of their families, their supporters and the symbolic meaning of longevity in many cultures.

The blue hues showcase our Great Barrier Reef, as one of the natural wonders in the world and located in our backyard it is a recognised not only world wide but throughout all Indigenous cultures. I want to bring a focus to the importance of us all taking care of our country, our land, our water and our cultural heritage. 

On the back, I have created the snake to not only remind our opponents of our lethal bite, but also to represent the team’s growth in our community, it’s influence on our players and the power it has across all cultures.

YOU’VE BEEN A LONGTIME TAIPANS SUPPORTER, WHEN DID YOU JOIN THE ORANGE ARMY:

I remember my first day in Cairns and my first Indigenous friend on the mainland when I started year 4. She’s from Yarrabah was very welcoming and could understand I didn’t speak the best English, because I had grown up in a small community. We connected through the love of sport and looking back, she was my connection to basketball at an early age. I recall going to watch my Dad play at the Fishtank (CBI) with his colleagues in a round robin tournament each week as a kid. I enjoyed playing as a kid and now I enjoy going to support my hometown Taipans wherever they play!

My favourite memory of the Cairns Taipans was witnessing them play against the New Zealand Breakers in 2010-11 season Grand Final Series with a double overtime win against the Breakers. 

My friend and I lost our voices at this game, talk about sitting on the edge of your chair for a chance for Cairns to win a championship! 15 years later, I am still supporting the Taipans and take my niece and cousins to the games here in Brisbane now.

The Taipans host the Bullets on Wednesday 26 May from 7:30pm. Click HERE to purchase tickets – jerseys and shorts will be available to purchase at the game!