About the Artwork

To emphasise the special standing of each Tour, a unique ‘Series Identity’ is created – designed to represent the Tour and the Lions in the context of the host countries’ defining features: from culture and landmarks to flora and fauna. For this Tour to Australia, indigenous artist, and Waratahs player Dylan Pietsch was commissioned to create a piece of artwork that has since formed the heart and inspiration of all 2025 Tour related visual references.

Yiradu Marang.

My name is Dylan Pietsch, a proud Wiradjuri Burray from Narrungdera country NSW. I am also an artist and a rugby player.

This piece of artwork tells a story of connection; my strong connection to our culture inspired by my mob and special connection to Country, the many forms of connection within Australia through its people and landscapes and the powerful opportunity for my sport to create new connections by welcoming and building fresh communities through a common purpose.

I am grateful for the opportunity to represent myself and my culture in communicating this fantastic event in Australia.

Aboriginal Country

Typically refers to the traditional lands and territories that Indigenous Australian peoples have inhabited and maintained for thousands of years. These lands hold profound cultural, spiritual, and historical significance. The concept of "country" extends beyond mere geographical boundaries; it encompasses the interconnectedness between the land, its inhabitants, and their cultural identity. Aboriginal people have a deep spiritual and cultural connection to their ancestral lands, which are integral to their identity, lore, and social structures. Acknowledging and respecting Aboriginal country is an essential aspect of reconciliation efforts in Australia”. 

The Aboriginal Dreamtime

Also referred to as the Dreaming or Dreaming Time, is a fundamental concept in the belief systems and cosmology of Indigenous Australian peoples. It encompasses the spiritual, cultural, and ancestral framework that underpins Aboriginal societies and their understanding of the world.

In the Dreamtime, ancestral beings, often depicted as animal spirits or supernatural entities, roamed the earth, shaping the landscape, creating natural features such as mountains, rivers, and lakes, and establishing the laws, customs, and traditions that govern Aboriginal life. Dreamtime stories vary among different Indigenous groups, reflecting their unique cultures, languages, and histories.

These Dreamtime narratives serve various purposes, including teaching moral lessons, explaining natural phenomena, passing down knowledge and wisdom from generation to generation, and reinforcing social cohesion within Aboriginal communities. Dreaming stories are conveyed through oral traditions, art, dance, song, and rituals, all of which are integral to the transmission and preservation of Aboriginal culture.

The Dreamtime is not merely a mythological past; it is a living, dynamic spiritual reality that continues to inform Aboriginal identity, worldview, and connection to the land. It emphasizes the interconnectedness of all things—humans, animals, plants, and the environment—and underscores the importance of respecting and preserving the natural world”.