JOHN WILLIAMS, BETTY WILLIAMS (NEE YARRACK) | 'Emu in the Sky and Thuwathu' | 2021 | Painting

 JOHN WILLIAMS, BETTY WILLIAMS (NEE YARRACK), 'Emu in the Sky and Thuwathu', 2021, Acrylic on Belgian Linen, 198 x 198 cm 

"Top Story: Emu and crocodile are up in the Milky Way with Kangaroo and Shooting Star. The shooting star represents Thuwathu the Rainbow Serpent's eye and it's a warning sign that someone is going to get very sick, you don't point at it and put out the fires if you see it because some one is sick. People who have dreaming like these totem spirits their spirit go up to the sky when they die. Lardil people still believe this today and they tell people about where they'll go when they die. Bottom Story: Is how Thuwathu the Rainbow Serpentremained on the earth - his resting place is on and in the land and sea. His spirit is in sacred places and people can get sick if they mix sea and land food, make sure you wash hands before entering water otherwise you get malgary. We still believe in this, it's a part of our culture amongst the people of the Wellesley Islands - this story is the same all over."

Courtesy of Mornington Island Art Centre