Gubau Aimai Maibaigal (Four Winds)
Artist
Alick Tipoti
(1975)
Date2006
Object number00054666
NameLinocut
MediumInk on Hahnemuhle 350gsm paper.
DimensionsOverall: 1000 × 3200 mm
Image: 810 × 3000 mm
Image: 810 × 3000 mm
Copyright©Alick Tipoti
ClassificationsArt
Credit LineANMM Collection. Purchased with funds from the Sid Faithfull and Christine Sadler program supporting Contemporary Indigenous Maritime Heritage in Far North Queensland and the Torres Strait Islands through the ANMM Foundation
DescriptionSingle block vinyl cut in black ink by Alick Tipoti titled 'Gabau Aimai Mabaigal' (Four Winds / Wind Makers).
Tipoti depicts four ancient Torres Strait ancestral spirits, known as Zugubal, showing natures rhythms over the course of four seasons - represented as Kukiau (January - March), Zayau (April - June), Wourau (July - September) and Naigaiyiew (October - December). Between each Zubub are Gub Tira Lumail (transitional periods) that depict what resources and food will be plentiful and what tasks need to be completed. These pictures and patterns of flora and fauna create a diagram that informs how these life cycles are mapped into weather patterns helping to remember important survival knowledge.
HistoryThis work by Alick Tipoti informs outsiders how the life cycles of flora and fauna are mapped into weather patterns and Zugubal activities. Stories about the activities of Zugubal in relation to nature's habits help in remembering important survival knowledge for Torres Strait Islanders.
Western Torres Strait Island cosmology is passed down through generations in mythological narratives that help preserve knowledge about biophysical life cycles; wind patterns and ocean currents; and the celestial positioning of stars at various times of the year. Human survival on these islands depends on having this knowledge of nature and its rhythms, to know the sources of fresh water, the right time of year to hunt particular bird and marine life and the collection of shells and plants for food and medical use.
In this single print Tipoti maps the Torres Strait seasons and important natural occurrences that are all interconnected. From left to right Zugub - ancestral beings, represent the seasons. Between these core events are times of great activity in the natural world when plants ripen, animals migrate, become plentiful for eating and harvesting or start laying their eggs. This intimate knowledge of available food sources is vital to Torres Strait life and survival. Reading the signs in nature and teaching them to younger generations, ensured that islanders managed their resources successfully for many thousands of years.
SignificanceIn 'Gubau Aimai Maibaigal' Alick Tipoti provides a contemporary interpretation of traditional Torres Strait Islander cultural practices, songs and stories. Traditional knowledge on the changing seasons is depicted in an Indigenous calendar showing natures rhythms over the course of the year from a distinctive Torres Strait Island perspective.
