WAC131/25 – Cecil Mosquito

– 45 x 45 cm

On a clear, star-filled night, the silhouette of the Emu stretches across the sky—not made of stars, but of the dark spaces between them. This is the Emu Dreaming, an ancient celestial story passed down through generations. Its long neck curves along the Milky Way, body nestled in the cosmic dust, legs trailing behind like whispers across the heavens.

For the Gija and many other Aboriginal peoples, this appearance marks i& signals change. When the Emu rises fully in the night sky, it is a clear sign: the cold weather is coming. The earth will harden, fires will crackle longer, and the rhythm of life will shift with the cooling air.

This artwork captures not only the majestic presence of the Emu in the sky, but also the deep knowledge woven into Country and stars. It reminds us that the sky is a calendar, a storybook, a guide—and that the Emu’s return is a call to prepare, to listen, and to remember.