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Middi Bagu
Based on the traditional fire making implements of the Girringun rainforest Aboriginal people, the artists have created artworks made from clay, timber and string to evoke the spirit of the old people.
Traditionally, the firesticks were made up of two parts, the Bagu (body) and Jiman (sticks). Bagu is normally made from the boogadilla (milky pine tree) and Jiman are made from either Jiman (scrub vine) or mudja (wild guava). The bagu form was predominately founded in the shape of a man.
The spirit design was created with traditional clays and the ochre colours are magirra – yellow, gunggu – red, gaba – white and jillan – black charcoal usually applied with wallaby blood.
Middi is the language word for small in local dialects. The traditional bagu were generally about 30 cm long.
