Certificate of Authenticity
My name is David Dunn; Aboriginal name is Gaagang, (elder brother). I was born in Trangie, (NSW). I have been painting all my life and started to sell my artworks in 1986. I remember drawing and coloring in with my mother and father when I was about five years old. I get a lot of enjoyment out painting, although the fun part is when I see other people’s expressions while they are viewing one of my works. I paint from the heart not from a picture, as I was told by an Elder from the Warburton community to paint what you feel not what you see. When I hold the brush this is all I do, someone else "(God)" does the painting. This letter confirms that you are buying an original Done by Dunn Art, David Dunn Aboriginal art painting.
This painting depicts the Murray River which was created by the tracks of the great Hunter, as he chased the Murray cod. The chase began the hunter following the cod (who had the shape of a man) on rafts made of red gums. He threw many spears at his target, but the fish was quick and carved a path, carving out the rivers landscape. The great hunter was forced to beach his rafts, and often creates new ones as he changed from reach to reach of the river. At a place along the river, the hunter finally got lucky, and struck the cod in the tail with a spear. However, the shock to the fish was so great it launched him forward in a straight line to another place along the river. Eager to rectify, His failure to catch his prey, the hunter and his wives hurried on, and took positions high on a cliff. They sprang an ambush on the cod only to fail again. The great warrior set off in pursuit again but lost his prey as the fish dive into a great lake. The warrior and his women settled on shore, only to suffer bad luck with fishing. They moved to a more suitable spot at a site which is a town is today. The three circles joined by squiggly lines represent the three rivers of the "Wiradjuri Nation", The Wambool (Macquarie), Kalar (Lachlan) and Murrumbidgerie (Murrumbidgee) The Wiradjuri tribe is also known by the name of "the River people" as we all lived along the banks of the Rivers which stretches across NSW. The Wiradjuri lands stretch from Nyngan to Albury and from Hay to Bathurst - the largest territory in New South Wales.
The pictures are all left to your imagination. ©