“The siren’s call”
Oil on cradled birch wood panel
60cm wide x 75cm high
Original sold- prints coming soon
The name of the order in which the dugong is within is Sirena. This name refers to when the Sirena was first seen by early sailors they mistook them for sirens or mermaids. In Aboriginal Dreaming stories, the dugong was a lovely young woman who after being betrayed goes to live in the sea. This is similar in Polynesian stories with dugongs being a young woman who retreated to the sea.
These gentle sea cows munch on seagrass and used to live in large herds but their numbers are now dwindling and they are listed on the IUCN red list as vulnerable.
On top of my dugong is a bush stone curlew or bush thick-knee couple Our curlews also have rich Aboriginal dreaming stories told about them. Xavier Herbert wrote in “Poor man my country” that the curlew calls the spirit of souls waiting to be born. In Northern Queensland, it is the sound of the dead returning to the dreaming. There are so many fascinating stories for both of these animals.
Painting the dugong was so fun, so many colours make up grey.
Framed and ready to hang on your wall.
A dugong floating in the air.
Early blocking in of the curlews