GTIAA 2025
Artist: Alick Tipoti
Artwork Title: Dhangalaw Madhubal (Dugong Charms)
Medium: Wood Carving
Year: 2025
Story
Dhis atwok ay bi mekem, ol dhangal madhub, ol dhem longtaym ansestha yusthu kabe ol dhangal prom ston o ud. oli yuzem po mazik. Dhem madhub aybi mekem ol ulakal blo dhangal swim gopo aylan. Dhempla lukrawn eria we igad plenti sigras po kaykay. Samtaym lo langus wi kolem Koedhikadh wen tayd seynz. Dhiswan wen tayd tan prom Guthath go po Kulis. Dhem dhangal ya, I bi kabem prom ubar. Ubar wi kolem Wangay tu. I bi yuz dhis thri koz emi impotant ud. Emi sake kaykay lo seten taym o sizan, semkayn wiskayn ol dhangal imub.
Dha kazab yu luk ay bi putem thru nos blo ebri dhangal. dha mining blo dhatwan, iwase dhem dhangal, ol lib layp blo dhempla po kam po mipla po kaykay bikoz ol prapa meyn pat blo inisieysan blo mipla ol aylan pipol. Iwase laypsaykol blo dhempla koz emi konekt lo kinsip system blo mipla kalsa.
Sow paswan, oli Awgadh blo sam ob mipla klanz ya lo ples.Seken, emi meyn kaykay blo mipla olgedha aylan pipol.Dhatwan, dha oyl wi mekem prom tha dhangal, emi mersin blo mipla. Wi kolem dhangalaw iidi.
Dha kenu yupla luk lo andanith sayd blo this wok, dhem mining aybi mensen ya antap, dha kenu konekt mipla po tha solwata koz dha solwata probayd kaykay po mipla, espesli lo dhem big pisting ene selabreysan blo aylan blo thruawt dha iya.
Dhem katawt pat dhe antap, oli reprozent sigras. Wi kolem dhaamu. Oli dhem seten wan ol dhangal layk po kaykay. Dha seyp blo kisay dhe antapsayd lo medel, dhatwan koz dhem mob blo dhangal, oli mub onli lo seten kisay.
Dhis wok onli tel yupla lelbet thasol abawt awmas mipla ol aylan pipol sabe abawt dhis dhangal. Dhangalaw min iblong dhangal. Madhubal iemi neym po sot ppiol udha kole reyn kam po yumpla Dhem owld pipol yusthu meke ol mazik thing lo dhemwan…Dhiswan westen aylan langus.
This artwork I made are dugong charms. our ancestors carved from stone or wood. They would use it for island magic. These are a herd of dugongs swimming towards our island. They seek areas where a specific type of seagrass is plentiful for grazing. Koedhikadh is a term sometimes used for when the tide transits from Guthath (upwind rising tide) to Kulis (downwind going out tide). These dugongs are carved from the Ubar tree to indicate certain seasons in line with the movements of the herd.
The Kazab seen threaded through the nostrils of all these dugongs indicate that they are all destined to play a very significant part of our cultural initiations. The dhangal as it’s called in our language have a specific role in our cycle of culture. First and foremost, it is a major totem in our kinship system to some clans. secondly, it is a common delicacy to all Torres Strait Islanders. Thirdly, the oil extracted from it is considered a traditional medicine to our people.
The island canoe framing the dugongs from the bottom represents the purpose of them being hunted for the reasons mentioned above. The canoe connects islanders with the sea and what it provides, in most cases a herd of dugongs for a cultural feasting celebrations throughout the year. The cut-out shape at the top is the seagrass dugongs prefer to eat. The crescent of the moon depicted in the top centre indicated the time when the dugongs are on the move.
This work tells you just a little of how much we, the Torres Strait islander people know this creature. Dhangalaw translates to something that belongs to the dugong. Madhubal is a term used for short spiritual people who are callers of the rain. The old people always use these charms for island magic. This is Western Torres Strait language.