Dennis Nona
31 DN117
Dennis Nona Ulalai Dogai 2006
Linocut Paper: 1200mm x 670mm
Unframed: $1500
Framed: $2700
A mother and her daughter lived at the top of a tall tree house. One day the mother decided she would go fishing. As she climbed down the long rope ladder, she called back to her daughter, ‘I’ll be fishing at the back reef, but if anyone comes looking for me then tell them I am at the front reef.’ A short time later the Dogai from Ulalai Island appeared at the bottom of the tree. ‘Where is your mother?’ she shouted. Remembering her mother’s advice, the girl told the Dogai that her mother was fishing at the front reef. So the Dogai went to the front reef and looked through the bushes, but could not see the mother. Not long after the mother arrived home with a bit basket of fish. She climbed up the rope ladder and she and her daughter cooked the catch for dinner. As they ate, they heard the voice of the Dogai who had returned to the tree house hungry for food. ‘Is anyone there,’ she yelled, ‘I’m hungry’. The mother threw a fish and bush vegetables into the Dogai’s mouth. She swallowed it down and went back to her cave. The next morning the mother decided that she would go fishing again. She told her daughter, ‘I’ll be at the front reef, but if the Dogai comes looking for me then tell her I am at the back reef.’ Soon after the Dogai appeared at the bottom of the tree. ‘Where is your mother?’ she shouted. The young girl told her that her mother was fishing at the back reef. So the Dogai went looking for the mother at the back reef, when, meanwhile, the mother returned safely home with another big basket of fish. A short time later they heard the voice of the angry Dogai, ‘Is anyone there,’ she yelled, ‘I’m hungry’. The mother threw a fish and bush vegetables into the Dogai’s mouth. She swallowed it down and went back to her cave. The next day mother decided to go fishing again so she gave her daughter the same instructions.’ I’ll be at the back reef, but if the Dogai comes looking for me then tell her I am at the front reef’. Sure enough the Dogai came back to the tree house and enquired about the mother. The time, however, the girl became confused and told the Dogai that her mother was fishing at the back reef. The Dogai went to the back reef and watched the mother fishing through a bush shrub. Suddenly the mother heard a rustling noise behind her. She turned around to see the ugly Dogai beginning to run down the beach after her. The mother screamed as the Dogai chased her all the way back to the tree house. She threw her basket of fish up into he air so that she could quickly scramble up the rope ladder and back to safety. She had just escaped the evil Dogai. Just as the mother began to scold her daughter for giving away her location, the Dogai yelled up in anger, ‘I’m hungry’ This time the mother was angry too so instead of throwing down food, she threw a red hot rock straight into the Dogai’s Open mouth. The Dogai howled in pain and went back to her cave where she slowly died. It was a day to celebrate for now little children and their mothers could live safely without fear of the Dogai from Ulalai Island.
  
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