Photograph by Russell James. Collaborative art by Lance Chadd (AUS).

40” x 60” archival pigment ink printed on rag cotton with acrylic and ochre applications.

‘Kuldjuk Boorangur’ is the great Black Swan Totem ( Spiritual Elder Brother ) of the ‘Bibbulman’ people. ( Aboriginals of the South Western Australia.) He came into being during the ‘Ngyddiny – Koorah Koorah’ (cold times of long ago.) As the swans were changed into Nyoongar (men ), the Spirit Kuldjuk told them that the swan was to be their ‘Boorangur’ (elder brother ) Special ceremonies would be performed at ‘Winaatj’ ( a sacred place), were they would decorate their bodies with down from their ‘elder brother’, and sing swan songs and dance the motions of the swan gathering their nest materials. This ceremony ensured great flocks of swans and plenty of food for the great gathering of their ‘Moorurtung’ and ‘Weea- binuk’, (blood relations and relations-in-law) , for the egg feast and the many ‘Ke-ning’ (corroborees ) given by the visitors. The ‘Kangaroo men’ from the North-East, the ‘Possum men’ from the East and the ‘Gum and Honey and Root men’ from the South.