Pattern of life

Bark painting - inseparable from the social, cultural and religious life of many Australian First Nations peoples - shown as it is today to satisfy the demands of a commercial market and as it was, the changing pattern of the life of the First Nations peoples being reflected in their paintings. Illustrations in Arnhem Land range from the fishing and hunting, musicians and dancing, to fighting, and mourning and burial ceremonies. In its western region we see various animal and plant totems in the attractive “x-ray” style, whilst elsewhere wind designs, clusters of stars, cycad and hibiscus trees are depicted.