Deutscher and Hackett

This painting features Burala, which are diver duck totems that relate to mortuary ceremonies. Diver ducks feed on small fish in billabongs and fresh water holes, acting as a metaphor for the soul of an individual being plucked from the pool of life. The totems incorporate herringbone design which represents the skeleton of the catfish. When catfish are young they have transparent bodies through which the skeleton is visible: thus the design incorporates notions of birth, new life and death.