First Nations fashion as resistance, culture and connection

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised this article contains images of deceased people.

First Nations garments have always held deep meaning. What we wear tells stories about culture, Country and community.

From the moment of invasion, clothing and adornment were removed and used to erase our cultural presence. But resistance never stopped.

Today, First Nations designers, artists and community members continue to reclaim garments as acts of survival, empowerment and self-determination.

Cultural practices like cloak-making and adornment are linked to wellbeing. They restore pride, connect to ancestors and Country, and build community.

First Nations fashion designers and artists create exquisite items that represent culture, speak back to colonisation, and contribute to healing.

A shared experience

Like so many others, what I wear is deeply personal. I have my dad’s old Aboriginal rugby guernsey. He wore it for years. Now I wear it. It’s a piece of him I get to carry.

It’s a part of what links me to my research in understanding First Nations fashion and style as living expressions of who we are.

I had the chance to yarn with 20 Aboriginal Knowledge Holders from Tarntanya (Adelaide), Naarm (Melbourne) and Warrane (Sydney) about their fashion and style choices.

Like many of the people I spoke to in this study, we use First Nations fashion and style as a way to stay connected to culture and community and express identity and resistance.

Fashion as connection and solidarity

For many of the Knowledge Holders I spoke with, wearing First Nations clothing and adornment connects them to culture and community.

It becomes a way to share who they are and stand together in a world that has tried to silence and erase them.

The Knowledge Holders wear everything from subtle pins and badges to bold hoodies, t-shirts and merch with Aboriginal flag motifs and slogans. Some choose delicate shawls or clothing with cultural artworks.

As one Knowledge Holder put it, it’s “a contribution, a brick in the wall” that helps the building of identity and belonging.

For mob living off-Country in cities or overseas, wearing culture becomes an important way to stay connected.

This sense of connection can also show up in the most ordinary places.

Several Knowledge Holders shared how wearing an Aboriginal shirt in places like the supermarket often sparks a moment of connection. Sometimes they approach others, sometimes they’re the ones approached.

Fashion as pride and cultural practice

For most of the Knowledge Holders, wearing First Nations clothing affirms their Aboriginality and gives them a sense of pride.

For some, it’s about proudly showing who they are, especially in a society where racism still exists. That pride runs through generations.

Some talked about how they weren’t always allowed to show their First Nations identity openly, but now they can wear cultural clothing freely, all of the time.

The Knowledge Holders wear First Nations fashions at work, in shops, when travelling overseas, at graduations and especially at cultural events or protests.

Another Knowledge Holder shared how fashion filled a gap, giving First Nations people the words and symbols to express their culture and identity.

This Knowledge Holder declared, “fashion helped the pride come out”.

Others shared that even though wearing these clothes can mean dealing with racism or ignorance, they still choose to show that pride.

Fashion as identity and protest

For many of the Knowledge Holders, First Nations fashion and style is a way to strengthen their identity, share culture and protest.

They talked about wearing protest clothing as a clear political statement, especially at marches, NAIDOC events or on Invasion Day.

For many, clothing is how they show who they are, both to themselves and to others.

One Knowledge Holder said

if I don’t wear something Indigenous, they wouldn’t know that I was.

Some pointed out that First Nations fashion and style can be an important sign for them, especially if they feel they “pass” as non-Indigenous or look ethnically ambiguous.

But not all Knowledge Holders use fashion to show their identity. One told me they only wear First Nations clothing in solidarity with others, not as personal expression.

There’s more to learn and do

First Nations fashion and style is so much more than just clothing. It’s memory, resistance and a story we carry on our bodies.

As one of the Knowledge Holders put it:

we wasn’t allowed to be proud of it. Now we can wear [an Aboriginal] t-shirt whenever, all day every day.

That says it all. But there’s still work to do. We need to keep learning and understanding about all the different layers and identities that shape these experiences.

There is more research to be done to include more voices, like those of diverse genders and sexualities, Torres Strait Islanders and regional fashion scenes.

And it’s not just about research. We need more policies, more exhibitions, more programs and more platforms that celebrate First Nations fashion and style.