Catfish crucifix

Carved from the skeleton of a large catfish, this crucifix reflects the deep Christianity of many of the Aboriginal people from the Forrest River and other missions of the Kimberley. The Catfish was placed on the top of meat ant beds for the ants to remove the flesh. Twelve spikes at the top represented the twelve apostles. Inside the sculpture are two bone marbles that rattle. They represent the story of the soldiers who gambled to see who would obtain Christ’s robe after his crucifixion. From the 1950s, these crucifixes were made and sold as curios to tourists and sailors as their ships arrived at the Wyndham wharf.