Signed certificate of authenticity.

Frame not included

With this mask I created, I wanted to create conversation and ask questions.
With the year 2021 being the 150th year anniversary of ‘The Coming of The Light’, where the missionaries landed on Erub (Darnley Island) in the Torres Strait and introduced the Bible and Christianity.
From that day on immense change came to the Torres Strait Islands. I wanted to ask the questions - did they bring the light? Or was it the end of parts of our culture?
I was brought up like a lot of Torres Strait people, to celebrate the ‘Coming of The Light’ and all the good change that came to our Islands and to our people from that day forward. But as I grew into my own man and learnt and was taught the ways of my culture from my elders, I began to question- was it really the coming of the light or the end of so many parts of our strong culture?
When I would enquire to some elders about some traditional history or certain artifacts from the Eastern Islands e.g Dari or certain sacred masks, I was told that they were ‘Debol Things’ (Devil Things) and taboo to talk about. I don’t blame these elders for giving me theses answers as that is what has been taught and ingrained into many generations of our people. I don’t want to cast judgement, I believe everyone has their own rights to believe as they wish to. In the missionaries’ view, their arrival saved us from our old ways of ‘Heathen Darkness’. But who made those decisions for us and why was it their decision to make?
Before 1871 we had our own beliefs, and many sacred masks and artifacts played a big part in our ceremonies and rituals, the majority of these were destroyed or taken and now the few that are left can only be seen in museum collections.
With this mask, named Nete Ka Nali (Who am I?) I have carved words, patterns, tears and a large question mark to create these conversations and ask these questions -
The cross and light beams represent when the missionaries came.
The question mark asks did they bring the light? Or was it the end of our culture?
The mouth open on one side speaking with patterns coming out represents my ancestors speaking in language, it has a cross in the middle of it to show they were told not to speak the language or sing and dance out traditional songs any longer.
The tears are crying, mourning for our identity that was taken away.
The skulls with the cross symbolize how our shrines were destroyed and how my ancestors were to now only believe the words of the Bible.
The R.I.P Dari, Le Op (mask), drum surrounded by flames shows how our artifacts were burnt or taken.
I ask the question – Do you know who I am? Am I lost? Who am I? Nete Ka Nali