Johanna Morris Mandjabu, 2023 Maningrida Arts and Culture

Medium: Fibre Sculpture Size: 240 x 40 x 40 cm ID: #481-23
Price: $5690





    About this artwork

    Constructed from Pandanus (Pandanus Spiralis) and Bush Cane (Flagellaria Indica) with Natural Dyes.

    Kuninjku people traditionally make two sorts of conical fish traps. One called Mandjabu made from milil a vine. And another smaller one called manyilk Mandjabu, made from the grass manylik. The milil conical fish trap is bigger and stronger and used in tidal reaches of creeks to catch large fish. the smaller and lighter manylik trap is used in freshwater flowing creeks to catch smaller fish and freshwater prawns. Traditionally only men were involved in the construction of the large fish traps, but smaller children were used to crawl inside and assist.