Ah, Tasmania. The land of heat pumps, turbo chooks and — as the mainland is now learning — the “rum’un”.
The what?
The rum’un. Tasmanian for scallywag or ratbag. And the name of the Tasmanian football club’s new Devils mascot, which was unveiled to the public this week.
Rum’un’s arrival spawned bemusement among mainland football fans, who were equally miffed and horrified by the 2-metre-tall beast, which is made partially out of discarded school uniforms.
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“Kill it with fire,” said one online commentator.
“Maybe the Tasmanian AFL team wasn’t such a good idea after all,” said another.
Fair claims upon first inspection perhaps. Rum’un looks like a Lovecraftian take on an angry marsupial.
Born and bred Tasmanians have probably been called, or called someone they know, a rum’un at some stage.
Rum’un is about as Tasmanian as a turbo chook. (ABC News: Owain Stia James)
It’s a term of endearment still commonly used by older Tasmanians, who bestow it upon cheeky or mischievous grandkids.
There’s a bit of Rum’un in everyone from the island.
“An odd character. A uniquely Tasmanian character. An affectionate term of endearment for a Tasmanian,” says Devils’ general manager of social inclusion Kath McCann, of the new mascot’s name.
“We feel as though Rum’un has quite an impact visually, but actually it’s the heart and soul of Rum’un that represents Tasmanian people, and in particular young Tasmanians,”
she said.
Fans of Rum’un love the little touches, like his gravel-scraped knees. (ABC News: Owain Stia James)
Origins of the word
Where the word rum’un originated is up for debate, but it was likely brought to Tasmania by British convicts and free settlers.
University of Tasmania history professor Kristyn Harman says the first mention of the term comes from a British book.
“There was a fellow living in London, who in 1789, had a book published called Life’s Painter. His name was George Parker. He was an entertainer and lived in London. He was allegedly the first to use it, in that book,” Professor Harman said.
“Some people claim that instead, it comes from the Romani word ‘rom’ which is Romani for ‘male’ or ‘husband’, and also that it was part of canting slang that could mean excellent, or fine or good.
“Canting slang is a language that arose in different areas in Scotland, mixing Romani and Gaelic. In the lowlands and highlands, two different ‘cants’ arose which are mutually unintelligible.”
Canting was a way of speaking insincerely or hypocritically.
Fitting, for a Tassie Devil.
A mascot that can poop footballs
Wherever it originated, it’s been adopted by Tasmanians and will now surely enjoy a resurgence among youngsters.
Rum’un’s name is one thing, but his striking look is another. This is no cookie-cutter, flat-foam, Disney-esque devil.
Nope, he’s the real deal, with a bit of mange and a mechanical mouth that upon command can twist into a snarl.
And, perhaps disconcertingly, he was devised by Tassie school kids who wanted Rum’un to poop footballs.
Yes, Rum’un can devour a Sherrin and show you the aftermath.
He’s definitely not to be messed with. (Facebook: Rum’un the Devil)
He boasts a Tassie map emblem on his right arm, and blood on his knees from scrapping on the Queenstown gravel.
And yes, Rum’un looks like he’s just lost a fight with a lawnmower. That’s sort of the point. He’s beautifully grotesque.
Terrapin Puppet theatre’s designer Bryony Anderson, who designed the mascot, told ABC radio that Devils fans wanted a mascot with grit.
“People said, don’t make it like ‘The Wiggles’. It’s got to be ‘kick-ass’,”
Ms Anderson said.
“I don’t think football is cute or pretty. It had to be cheeky first, so the Auskickers didn’t get scared, but also a little bit of ‘don’t mess with me’.”
Rum’un took nine months to create with input from primary school kids and junior footballers.
It’s another thing off the checklist for the burgeoning Tasmania Devils AFL team. (Supplied: Tasmania Football Club/Solstice Digital)
Students at New Norfolk high school helped stitch him together.
He even has a yet-to-be revealed backstory, devised by Palawa artist Nathan Maynard.
And there’s whispers that Rum’un might soon have some equally interesting friends in the works.
What other team has a footy-pooping mascot? (Supplied: Tasmania Football Club/Solstice Digital)
Love him or hate him, he’s Tasmania’s own and the club hopes that from 2027 he will be straddling the sidelines at the Devils’ AFLW games, and men’s fixtures the year after.
Rum’un is what happens when sport and art collide. He’s the MONA poop machine. He’s a crayfish at the shack. He’s West Park’s stolen goal post.
He’s JackJumpers 2.0.
He’s a little ugly and rough as guts. Perfectly imperfect, laughed at and misunderstood by those across the strait. And what could be more Tasmanian than that?
dan