Family, Faith & Usos is the title of this project by Photographer Tim Anger. Of it Tim writes:
Family, Faith & Usos spells out the triangle of support relied upon by many Polynesian rugby players who are often living away from their wider family and community. While these six players have a mix of ethnic backgrounds, the majority have Samoan heritage and for this reason ‘uso’ has been used to represent the third leg, after family and faith, fraternity.
Usos is the plural form of the Samoan word for brother, often used in a more colloquial context as ‘bro’, in an equivalent manner to Australian’s use of the term ‘mate’.
Like the sponsor’s names emblazoned on their playing kit, they scribe reminders of their dearest supporters on the strapping bound to their wrists before each game. This practice is synonymous with the cultural tattooing of their heritage which visually told the story of their place in community, hints of which they wear on their skin.
In this they have created a unique and literal form of bearing their hearts on their sleeves, the sources from which they draw their strength: family names, bible verses and hints of home.
View the slide show on the following pages to see Tim’s photos and read his insights behind them.
Tim hopes to repeat the project with the rest of the Aussie Super Rugby franchises.
