Garaz

Size: Paper Size: H85cm x W80cm

Medium: Linocut

$680.00 (Incl GST)

The fish traps which the Torres Strait Islanders used, were built by our ancestors thousands of years before time. Each fish trap belonged to different families to use and look after. The stone-wall fish traps were built to trap marine animals, they are the largest structure built by first nation people and are visible from the air when flying. The fish trap was designed to be most effective at mid-tides, they were also used for cultural ceremonies, where our younger men and women were taught the ways, signs and readings of the tides to best catch seafood for family and community. The circular patterns in my image represent the rocks that makes the Garaz - fish trap, at the bottom of the image is a pattern of a local vine we call Sazi and also the marking outside the Garaz is the representation our low tides. The practice is that, we crush the Sazi-vine with a rock to create a milky sap, which is then soaked in the sea water within the trap. This action takes the oxygen out of the water bringing the fish trapped in the Garaz, floating to the surface of the water for us then to gather. I truly believe that these first Nations innovation of our traditional structures, should be culturally listed and for our families today to maintain these culturally important practices.