In the beginning, spirits and deities created the Islander world. Ancestors like Sida of Papua New Guinea, Gelam of Moa, and Waiet of Mabuiag shaped the islands, giving each unique attributes: The fertile abundance of Mer, the inland waters of Erub, and the rugged rocky foreshores of Moa.
Malu, the Kala Lagaw Ya word for sea/ocean, extends beyond a simple description of water. It speaks of a living ancestral realm binding Torres Strait Islander people to spirit, memory, navigation, and identity.
In this exhibition, located in the Level 1 Corridor of WA Museum Boola Bardip, the ocean becomes both archive and witness, honouring Malu as both origin and living presence – keeper of memory where every tide, wave, and current leaves marks upon the land, people, and the spirit of Sea Country.
Malu, the Kala Lagaw Ya word for sea/ocean, extends beyond a simple description of water. It speaks of a living ancestral realm binding Torres Strait Islander people to spirit, memory, navigation, and identity.
In this exhibition, located in the Level 1 Corridor of WA Museum Boola Bardip, the ocean becomes both archive and witness, honouring Malu as both origin and living presence – keeper of memory where every tide, wave, and current leaves marks upon the land, people, and the spirit of Sea Country.