THE ART OF ISAWDI (FATE SAVARI)

A Collection of Barkcloth Art from the Ömie Artists, Papua New Guinea

THE ART OF ISAWDI (FATE SAVARI)

A Collection of Barkcloth Art from the Ömie Artists, Papua New Guinea

Australian Indigenous (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) artwork by FATE SAVARI (ISAWDI) of Omie Artists. The title is Fire story of River Ido (Part II). [14-217] (Pencil and Ink on Paper) Australian Indigenous (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) artwork by FATE SAVARI (ISAWDI) of Omie Artists. The title is Fire story of River Ido (Part II). [14-217] (Pencil and Ink on Paper)
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FATE SAVARI (ISAWDI) (dec)

Fire story of River Ido (Part II)
14-217
Pencil and Ink on Paper
 Fire story of River Ido (Part … | 14-217
Pencil and Ink on Paper
 22 x 30.5cm | 8.66 x 12.01in (irregular)
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In 2012 at Gora Art Centre, Fate Savari presented a schoolbook she had obtained from her granddaughter. It was filled from front to back with drawings about her ancestral Ömie stories (including the creation story), histories, culture and clan designs. There were also some loose pages in the front and back of the schoolbook and more drawings on paper wrapped up in a larger drawing on paper. Fate created the book and drawings because she felt a great urgency to record her profound knowledge before she passed away. She used whatever materials she could find on hand. After presenting this first book, Fate requested “another book and drawing materials” so she could still create art during the seasons that she didn’t have any barkcloth to paint. So in 2014, Fate filled yet another drawing book with her art and this drawing is from that second collection of drawings.

RIVER IDÖ STORY

In the time of the ancestors, the people were hunting for the very first time with bamboo torches (lit by fire) at the River Idö. They were looking for fish in the night. They looked up and saw the stars for the first time and got frightened so they ran into the bush to a tree. They looked up through the branches of the tree and saw only one star, they got scared and ran back to the village. That’s why people don’t hunt for fish at the River Idö.

The borders are orriseegé or ‘pathways’ through the gardens and provide a compositional framework for the designs.

The short bristle-like design that can be seen is dubi dubi’e, representing the leaf of a rainforest vine that often grows on mountaintops.

In 2012 at Gora Art Centre, Fate Savari presented a schoolbook she had obtained from her granddaughter. It was filled from front to back with drawings about her ancestral Ömie stories (including the creation story), histories, culture and clan designs. There were also some loose pages in the front and back of the schoolbook and more drawings on paper wrapped up in a larger drawing on paper. Fate created the book and drawings because she felt a great urgency to record her profound knowledge...