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Dupun (Hollow log)

Dupuns (hollow log coffins) were traditionally used by Yolngu people as a type of coffin. They are made from tree trunks which have been hollowed out by termites and painted by clan members of the deceased depicting totemic motifs and clan patterns relevant to the person. Many years ago, Yolngu people would move about the land seasonally, travelling to where the food was available. When a member of the clan passed, their body was ritually painted with relevant clan totemic designs and placed in a tree to decompose. When the clan travelled back through the same area the following year, the bones of the deceased would be placed in the dupun and taken to the deceased persons country where a hollow log ceremony would commence. It is Yolngu’s belief that in practising this hollow log ceremony it allows the spirit of the deceased to embark on the final journey of their existence and on to the dreamtime.