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Taum Dunalaig
Lino print with oil paint
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Price: $200
Size: 43 x 36cm
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Year Created: 2006
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Dollar Reef
Lino print with oil paint.
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Price: $250
Size: 30 x 40 cm
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Year created:2011
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Pearling Lifestyle (Helmet)
Lino print with oil paint
This lino print was designed the shape of a divers helmet to represent the pearling era, and the effect it had on there families. From weeks to months while the divers were away the families had to rely on there gardens as they grew their own crops. They collected berries, fruit and other wild foods, they had to collect water enough to fill a 44 gallon drum to supply the families with showers and cooking as they had no plumbing back then.
They had to collect fire wood daily for use in a wood stove oven. The main food the families collected from the sea was pipi shell and various types of fish and clams. Everyone in the household had a chore to do daily as there were up to 23 people living in one house, this was the case for JOEY and GEORGINA NONA and many other families had a similar situation. Every night the families came together and the elders took turns at story telling. The children made up their own games during playtime to keep themselves occupied, they played sack races and diving games.
They made different sounds using a Bua shell which all had different meanings. Someone would climb up to a place called “gizu coola” which means a sharp stone, it was a high hill at the front of the village where they could see what boats where coming in. A government boat would come in once a month to deliver the pay cheques of the divers to their families. The lookout person would blow the Bua shell to let the families know the boat was near.
When the officials arrive at the islands the children would island dance as a way of greeting them, and they were rewarded with boiled lollies. When the divers returned they brought dried pearl shell meat which was a delicacy. The children used coconut husk to clean the sides and the bottom of the boats to remove the built up algae that formed from months at sea. As a reward the old man Nona (JOEY) would take the children to a near by island for picnics and outings, where they also maintained extra gardens.
If they were lucky enough to catch a turtle on their outings that turtle or dugong would normally feed a whole village. The stingray, snake and crocodiles were the totems that represented this family.
By Joey Laifoo
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Price: $650
Size: 80 x 62cm
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Year Created: 2002
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Solar Thonar (Turtle mating season)
The turtle mating season only happens once a year and it always attracts many hunters. Signs that the mating season is close are displays of mango blossoms seen on local trees. The Kingfisher known by islanders as the “Biru Biru” fly’s through the Torres Strait islands another signal, and the wongai trees start to fruit.
These signals are well recognised by the islanders to estimate the best time to hunt. The north winds blow and temperatures rise in the Torres Strait. The hunters also know the start of the mating season by the turtles spinning around in a clock wise direction, and when the season comes to an end they spin in the opposite direction.
When the Coolis tide (when the wind and tide go in the same direction) the turtles sit low under the water. When the tide changes to Butha (wind and tide go against each other) the turtles sit high in the water. The earlier hunters past down the information to the hunters of now days so they are able to read the necessary signs of the seasons.
The hunters tools needed were harpoons (wap) which is used to spear the turtles. The metal barbs (formerly used wood) kuyur were the barbs used in the earlier days and occasionally still used today, and thatha are the modernised barbs. A pandanus leaf was used to secure the thatha in place.
Now days hunters prefer to use a turtle hook which is attached to a rope and then simply pull the turtle in to the boat. The dangers the hunters faced were tiger sharks hunting the turtles as well. Also the dominant male turtle have been known to drag divers under with their large penis which they use to hook round the divers leg. The males acted this way as the mating of the two turtles have been disturbed and the hunters are mainly after the female turtle as they contain more fat during this season.
The families always benefit from the turtle meat as meat in the Torres Strait is still very hard to come by. The turtle eggs are collected from the nest and are considered a delicacy. Goannas and islanders are the main threat to the turtle eggs.
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Price: $550 Almost sold out- Limited editions available
Size: 40.5cm x 61
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Year created:2008
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Thumpul (Porcupine Stingray) Thonar (Season/Time)
This print represents a different method of hunting the porcupine stingray (Thumpul). The methods are diving using a hand spear near mangroves and ledges, also remaining in the boat on the bow. The signs that thumpul will be around is the presence of thunder and lightning, when the tide comes up the thumpul feed with the tide. Also when you see lots of different types of stingrays around is a good sign that the thumpul will be present among the crowd. The shape of the lino print is a top view of my father’s dingy(boat) .
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Price: $150
Size: 18 x 58cm
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Year created:2008
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Pearling Days
In the Torres Strait, pearl diving was the main source of income for the Torres Strait Islander families. The main danger for pearl divers was falling in holes, while working on the seabed. Strong currents, sharks and also sea snakes were dangers as the snakes use to follow the air bubbles as the divers breathed out, occasionally they made their way into the helmets of the divers. The divers also picked up cone shells from the seabed by mistake.
The pearl divers worked throughout the Torres Strait, they never worked in one area. The gathered fruit and vegetables, fresh water, firewood and seafood from near by islands.
The pearl divers work with the moon, 7 days on and 7 days off. In a year there are 4 types of winds that blow in the Torres Strait. In the lino print, between the 7 moons there are 4 faces that represent these winds.
After unloading the pearl shells they repair their baskets, hoses and refuel the boats. When pearl shells were limited they collected Trochus shell instead to maintain their income.
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Price: SOLD OUT
Size: 43 x 54cm
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Year created:2004
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Looking for food
lino print with oil paint
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Price: $130
Size: 30 x 30cm
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Year Created: 2004
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Life (Baby turtle)
This lino represents the hardship of baby turtles, while they are still in the egg. The dangers are shown on the back of the baby turtle. The dangers shown in the lino are goanna’s, other turtles digging up there nest and humans.
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Price: $200
Size: 31cm circle
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Year Created: 2004
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Dungal Lumai Thonar
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Price: $650
Size: 68.5 x 58 cm
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Year created:2003
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Turtle Hunting with tradtional tools
Lino print with oil paint
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Price: $80
Size: 25.5cm x 38.5
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Year created: 1997
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Sml Kaier( Crayfish)
Lino print with oil paint
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Price: $40
Size: 25.5cm x 18.5
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Year Created:2002
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THUMPUL (Porcupine Stingray)
The stingray design simply represents their mating season.
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Price: $60
Size: 29 x 30cm
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Year Created:1997
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Large Kaier (Crayfish)
Lino print with oil paint
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Price: $150
Size: 49cm x 31
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Year Created:1997
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Spirit Dancer
Lino print with oil paint
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Price: $50
Size: 25cm x 17.5
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Year Created:2002
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Islander's Working Life
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Price: $800
Size: 60 x 95cm
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Year Created:2011
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Kuzilaig (Pregnant mother)
This lino print represents pregnancy of mothers and what experiences expectant mothers go through. The different designs shows all the changes of moods, the top view of dugong figures scattered around the lino shows the family members who are around to offer support when needed. The pregnant dugong was chosen as the figure to represent this time in life as it’s a well respected animal in the Torres Strait.
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Price: $80
Size: 30cm x 19cm
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Year Created: 2008
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Thumpul Barris (Stingray tracks)
Thumpul is the islander word for porcupine stingray, which is another delicacy to the islanders. The Thumpul can only be hunted when the wet season comes, only between the months on December – February every year. The islanders check the stingrays to see if there Liver is extremely fat, then they know its a good catch. Barris means the area where the Stingray has been eating on the ocean floor. They are the tracks of the stingray’s movement.
The Islanders use these tracks to locate the porcupine stingrays. Another method to find them is to look for an area where there are a lot of different species of stingrays, as the porcupine stingray likes to mingle with other species of stingrays.
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Price: $50
Size: 15.5 cm x 14.5cm
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Year Created:2008
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.jpg "Kaier Rou Zargeth (Working for Crayfish)")
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Kaier Rou Zargeth
(Working for Crayfish)
Cray fishing began in the Torres Strait when the Pearling days started to come to an end. And still today Cray fishing is a main part of islander’s life, as it’s one of their main forms of income. The divers faced many dangers during their job, diving in shallow waters they faced stone fish, stingrays, sharks and stinging grass just to name a few. Compared to the hooker, which they used for greater depths. The groper and shovel –nose shark were attracted to the smell from the crayfish bag. The strong tides also played havoc pushing the divers into deep holes. The large crayfish in the middle of the lino print represents the “Painted Crayfish” the only type of crayfish found in the Torres Straits.
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Price: $350
Size: 64cm x 50 cm
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Year Created: 2008
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Outside Influences
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Price: $550
Size: 68.5cm x 63cm
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Year Created: 2002
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