A painting by renowned Aboriginal artist and former Port Stephens councillor Peter Kafer, which recognises the importance of fish in the lives of saltwater people, has found a new home at Newcastle Airport.
The artwork, titled MAARA 5, is the fifth in a series the Raymond Terrace-based artist has completed in recent times.
The painting has been dedicated to the memory of Worimi elder Uncle Lionel Ridgeway, who passed away in late 2019 and was the son of a fisherman, raised on the shores of Soldiers Point.
"This painting relates back to dreaming stories of 'how' fish appeared in our rivers, estuaries and their importance to our saltwater people," said Kafer, a D'harawahl man (saltwater man).
"The MAARA 1 painting that I completed earlier is a story way back when the big blue whale was told he had to make sure fish were put in rivers, creeks and bays. The whale sucked up all types of fish and sea creatures into his belly and and he swam up and around the coastlines of our continent.
"Each time he came to a river mouth or a bay or estuary he 'spat out' different fish types, for instance in Newcastle Harbour the main fish was the mullet. In Port Stephens it's the mulloway (jewfish) and so on all around the coastline. The fish provide a large part of sustaining our people.
"In MAARA 5, I have included several other species besides mulloway and mullet and I have also used many different hues of blue to try and give a sense of moving water and currents."
The painting was produced in acrylics on canvas.
