Joelene Roughsey, Honey Bee - Wankabel

Jolene Madar Roughsey

• Honey Bee - Wankabel (JRoughsey1.25)
• 121 x 91 x 2cm
• Acrylic on Belgian linen

This old man Brown Hawk (Yarran) he been sit down about the rock on the cliffs at Ganthawu, and all these little bees (Wankabel) been come along. They been ask that old fulla "can we go across to that island, (today it’s called Sydney Island) we can smell the flowers on the other side, we want to make sugarbag over there”. The old man, that Brown Hawk said, “No! you can’t go over there something might happen to you when you cross that channel”.  So they went away, but they came back and pestered him over and over because those flowers were smelling very rich.  And he still said “No, you can’t go there it might not be safe”, but they said they were still going over “We can’t listen to you old fulla” So they went across, then what happened, the old Balibal (Spotted Stingray) came out of the water grabbed them and pulled them down in that channel between Ganthawu on Mornington Island and Sydney Island - jumping out of the water looking for those little bees.  This story is showing all those children that if you don't listen to your Elders, you get a bad punishment and that your Elders say no for a good reason.”