“A stranger came to Mornington Island from the west. He was very, very skinny so they took him to where they were cooking turtle and dugong and getting food ready for a big corroboree. The stranger started begging,”I’m a stranger from the inland – give me some food.” “No” replied the women,”this is sacred food, it belongs to all the men.” “Ah” said the stranger. “I’m starving sister, give me some meat. I’m hungry.” “No”, said the women “we can’t get you any”. The stranger kept on and on asking and begging, but the women wouldn’t even let him have a small taste. All day he kept begging. That night the dancing started and the stranger was still begging. He was telling the men to dance, harder and faster, “Come on all you men, make more dust, dance, dance” and to the women, “Please give me some food, I’m so hungry, I’m a stranger please, please”. “No,” said the women “there are too many people to share the food now.” But then the women gave him a small piece of food, and he took a big bite. He kept telling the men to dance more and more, that he was a stranger and wanted to see their dances. The more they danced the dust rose higher and higher and the dancers could not see him begging for food and eating more and more. Then the stranger ran away with the food and ate it all until he was very fat. The men were so angry they tracked him and chased him through three mangrove swamps. They caught him in the last of the mangroves and he tried making excuse that he was only looking after the meat for the men. But they knew he was lying, so they speared him and cut him all over. His spirit moved in a big circle around part of the island, then went under the ground at Spring Point (Lingala) which is the spring he made when he went into the ground. The path that he took around the part of the island forms the main water course.
Later he rose into the sky and became the moon, called Gidegal – the skinny moon is the hungry stranger, the full moon is when he is fat and full from eating all the food, and the quarters when he is chopped up. At the full moon you can see the red of his blood. In the old days when there was an eclipse it reminded the people of when the moon man was killed, and the people mourned him.”
Please ensure we have your best postal address. Artworks are sent by Australia Post Express, rolled and packed very securely in a mailing tube, round works and panels will be packed flat. The Certificate of Authenticity will be included in the package and we will email it to you as well. MIART will cover postage costs and we will email you the tracking number.
MIART Mornington Island Art Refund policy
In the most unlikely event that you are not happy with your artwork then MIART will refund you in full upon return of the artwork in perfect condition – your refund will include any postage costs incurred.
MIART Mornington Island Art Return policy
In the most unlikely event that you are not happy with your artwork then MIART will refund you in full upon return of the artwork in perfect condition – your refund will include any postage costs incurred.
Please note: Orders made with IAM2023 may not arrive before Christmas. We thank you for your understanding. Dismiss
The 2023 AIATSIS Indigenous Art Market has now closed
Thank you for supporting the ethical purchase of authentic Australian Indigenous art through the AIATSIS Indigenous Art Market and for supporting all of the incredible participating art centres and artists.
To those who purchased a work of art – enjoy your selection! Art centre staff are already carefully packing and freighting your precious packages, so if you have an enquiry about your purchase, please contact the art centre or artist directly with the details found in your order email. If you have any other enquiries please contact us: [email protected]