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Buffalo Skull
This commissioned Water Buffalo piece features an important Wagilak clan story along with a young man initiation ceremony body paint style.
As a central piece on the water buffalo forehead are multiple Laar’da, or stone blades. Stones are harvested on country, and then skilfully shaped and used for hunting purposes. Young men need to learn this skill before they are allowed to hunt on their own.
On either side of the buffalo snout are two bush tool stone axes. These axes use the same stone but shaped differently. Central to the snout is ngarmbi or a large stone from which Laar’da and stone axes are formed.
White dots around the jaw and snout are similar to the body paint dots placed on young men when they go through initiation ceremony.
Raark or fine line work has been completed using a handmade grass reed brush called Jarlk. Raark is in Yirritja style and consists of mutliple lines before alternating colour.
Modern acrylic paint has been used. Skull was sanded smooth before painting so the Jarlk brush could flow easily.
