Kaygasiw Usul

Artist Alick Tipoti (1975)

Date2014

Object number00054384

NameSculpture

MediumWood, fibreglass, resin, wax, rope, feathers, shells

DimensionsOverall: 870 × 850 × 2510 mm, 22 kg
Mount / Matt size: 910 × 751 × 2465 mm
Display dimensions: 880 × 710 × 2570 mm

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

Collections

Terms

DescriptionA sculpture by Alick Tipoti of Kaygasiw Usul (Shovel nose shark dust trail reflected in the heavens as the Milky Way). The sculpture is made of wood, fibre glass resin, wax, rope, feathers and shells. The shark is shown with a semi open mouth. Inside the mouth is a human like mask with four smaller masks in a line on top of the shark’s head. In between the head and the tail, a bird's head faces the tail on each side of the shark. There is a string with feathers going from the nose to the tip of the tail. The shark is heavily decorated with rope, feathers and shells. HistoryKagasiw Usul means 'the trail of dust underwater created by the Shovelnose shark' and is the language of the Maluyligal people of Zenadh Kes (Torres Strait). The reflection of this particular movement is seen through the star constellation known as the Milky Way. The tide always changes when the Kaygasiw Usul star constellation swings as if though it’s dancing with the Kisay (moon). The artist explains "This particular Mask was inspired by the original turtle-shell masks in the British Museum in London. As a Torres Strait cultural protocol, I have not replicated it exactly as the original. Like my forefathers before me, I have composed and choreographed a traditional mask dance, only performed by men, about the star constellation that brings this mask to life. The two main totems depicted in this artwork are the Kaygas (Shovelnose shark) and the Baydham (Shark). The Kaygas Mask alone is associated with the ancient ancestral spirits known to us Torres Strait Islander people as the Zugubal. Gaygay’s (giant trevally) swimming along with the Kaygas shows that this Kaygas is from the deep sea and is called Koey Malu Kaygas. The Kaygas is on top of a shark mask that is also connected to the Zugubaw Baydham (shark star constellation). The masks aligned on top along the centre of the Kaygas represents spiritual Mawa dancers performing a sacred ritual only for the eyes of the elders. Such rituals are only performed when a spirit is travelling to the other side. Inside the shark mouth is also a Mawa mask. This mask represents the sorcerer or the main dancer of the Kaygas clan picked by the spirits to perform this dance". Tribe: Wakaydh, Argan Totem: Koedal (crocodile), Thupmul (fileray) Wind: Naygay (North East) Sager (South East) Stars: Zugubaw Baydham (Shark Star Constellation to the North) Country: Badu Island, Zenadh Kes (Torres Strait) Melanesian.SignificanceAlick Tipoti translates and interprets images of his spiritual ancestors and their totems. Through his work he also shares and educates general ancient knowledge about Torres Strait Islander culture for he is guided by the ancient traditional practices of his people.