Alair Pambegan

These bonefish sculptures were created by the 2 nephews of Arthur Pambegans – Nathan and Wesley Ampeybegan, and painted by his son Alair Pambegan.

Bonefish Story Place tells the story of two brothers who walked from the tip of Cape York looking for a place to make a home, finally settling at the end of the Small Archer River, which is the country where Arthur Koo-ekka Pambegan Jr was born.

The brothers fought over a young woman and the older brother was killed. The younger brother regretted his actions and went into the river where his sibling had fallen. Neither returned. According to the story, they turned into bonefish, which are silver fish that live in the shallow tropical waters.

These sculptures were carved from milkwood, when the tree is green and soft. After the bark is removed with a small axe, copious amounts of milky white sap are left to run out. The logs are then shaped and painted Wik-Mungkan patterns in colours derived from ochre and charcoal.