Gail Mabo

Tagai

This story was told to me as a child by my father, Eddie Koiki Mabo, as he was told by his father, Benny Mabo, about the stories of the Torres Straits Islands.

The story of Tagai, which is still told to the young people today, is considered an important aspect of daily life. Tagai is important for navigation, as the Southern Cross (Tagai’s left hand) points to the south. We use Tagai to navigate through the Torres Strait from island to island. Tagai also tells the islanders when to plant their gardens, when to hunt turtles and dugong, when the monsoon season arrives, when the winds change and many other important aspects of daily life.

Artist

Gail Mabo
Piadram clan; Mer (Murray Island), Torres Strait Islands, Queensland