PNG Chiefs Crest Draws on Traditions, Unity and National Pride

The PNG Chiefs’ new crest is intended to represent far more than a rugby league club, with chief executive officer Lorna Mcpherson OL KMG saying its design reflects the traditions, courage and shared identity of Papua New Guinea’s people.

Mcpherson revealed the personal emotion behind the emblem in a LinkedIn post, explaining that after 16 years in the country, seeing Papua New Guinea represented through its own sporting identity marked a moment she had long hoped to witness.

She said the crest was carefully designed using cultural symbols that tell the story of the country’s communities, from the coast and islands to the Highlands.

The main features of the PNG Chiefs crest carry individual meanings:

1.     Five Feathers: Represent pride, strength, beauty and status.
2.     Southern Cross: Reflects ancestral heritage and cultural traditions.
3.     Kina Shells: Symbolise traditional wealth and trading connections between coastal, island and Highlands communities.
4.     Face Shaped Like Papua New Guinea: Represents the nation and its people.
5.     Red Cheek Paint: Draws inspiration from traditional warrior markings and represents standing up for what one believes in.
6.     Cassowary Bone Nose Piercing: Symbolises courage, bravery and determination.
7.     PNG Chiefs Jersey: Represents national identity, unity and pride, with its design credited to Tabu.

Mcpherson explained that the five feathers and Southern Cross connect the emblem to the country’s cultural heritage, while the kina shells acknowledge the traditional systems of wealth and exchange that brought communities together long before modern currency.

Another central feature is a face formed in the shape of the country, with red cheek markings reflecting the appearance of traditional warriors. According to Mcpherson, the image brings together the nation’s many tribal identities under one figure.

A cassowary bone worn through the nose adds another layer of meaning, symbolising bravery and the spirit of people who refused to retreat when confronted with difficulties.

Mcpherson also credited Tabu for shaping the team’s jersey, noting that the uniform must speak to ordinary Papua New Guineans as much as it does to elite athletes.

She said the intended audience included children growing up in villages without electricity, young players taking part in barefoot games at Konedobu and girls who had been discouraged from participating in rugby league.

The CEO said she wanted supporters from every part of the country to recognise themselves in the emblem, regardless of where they came from or their circumstances.

Her message was that the team’s identity belonged to the whole country rather than being limited to a commercial sporting image.

“This is not a brand. This is us, finally seen,” Mcpherson said.

“PNG Chiefs. We were always here. Now the world can see us.”