untitled (Milvinae)

“untitled (Milvinae)” by Chris D. (Canvas 2000 x 1600)

 

This painting commemorates the Aboriginal women from the Shark Bay section of the Nanda tribe and their unique friendship with the Kite.

 

For the Nanda women of Shark Bay, the Kite was a friend. It was a friendship built on millenniums of mutual trust and respect, that the women considered the Kite to be an equal in life and death. The Kite would “perch on the shoulders of the women and eat from their hands”. The Kite was never considered to be a food source, and at the passing of one the women would weep as one does mourn for the loss of a loved one. 
 
Depicted here, is the friendship between a Nanda woman and a Kite. The woman is adorned with traditional Shark Bay Nanda tribe face and body paint design along with traditional pearl shell jewellery. 
The scenery is typical of the Shark Bay coastline, including shallow waters and rocky ledges, steep sand dunes and red earth, low coastal shrubs and wildflowers.