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Dhubu

Dhubu, known as Mackerel in the Kalaw Lagau Ya dialect of the Western Torres Strait Islands, holds a special place in my family’s culinary traditions. It was a cherished delicacy as a child, and my family would rise with the dawn, eager to embark on fishing trips for this prized catch. Beyond its significance as a beloved food, Dhubu also represents a vital totem for my mother’s kinship, rooted in the Daureb tribe of Murray Island, nestled in the eastern island group of the Torres Strait. This connection to Dhubu is woven deeply into our heritage, embodying a bond to our ancestral land and culture.

Categories: Moa Arts

Name: David Bosun

Language: Kala Lagaw Ya, Kriol

Community: Kubin

Biography:

David Bosun is a proud Mualgal man from Moa Island in Zenadth Kes (the Torres Strait). He is a pioneer of the Torres Strait printmaking tradition and the art movement that has emerged in the last 30 years. He was instrumental in setting up the Mualgal Minaral Artist Collective on Mua Island and the organisation that superseded it; Moa Arts, where he is a Board member and senior artist.

He was part of Gelam Nguzu Kazi, the first-ever exhibition of contemporary Torres Strait Islander art which toured nationally and internationally. Since his residency and exhibition at the Kluge Ruhe Museum in Charlottesville, Virginia, David’s work has been recognised globally for its richness and spiritual depth.

David was part of the first group of artists to view the Haddon Collection of Torres Strait artifacts, which was taken from Zenadth Kes to the British Museum in 1889. He was able to provide the museum with valuable cultural knowledge previously unknown to the Museum.

David is deeply committed to preserving and promoting the unique cultural history of Zenadth Kes and educating non-indigenous people globally about the region. He is passionate about safeguarding and showcasing the customs and beliefs of his ancestors through the visual and performing arts.

David’s artwork has been used extensively on Reconciliation Action Plans, public artworks and key documents by government agencies, and most recently on the official uniforms of the Australian Olympic team, to help strengthen the pathway to reconciliation which he believes to be one of the greatest challenges we face as a nation.

In recent years David has been a finalist in the NATSIAA’s and National Works on Paper Prize, and highly commended at the Gab Titui Indigenous Art Award on several occasions.

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