Dennis Nona

Dadu is the name given to the decorated poles that supported the turtle that was used during the ceremony for the initation of young men of the Waru Agudal or Turtle Clan on Badu Island.

This ceremony has not taken place since the 1800s and none of the poles are known to exist. The artist has created the sculptures based on information given to him by a Badu Island elder whose knowledge was passed down to him from his great grandfather.

The ceremony is known to have taken place at Surum which is a sand bank attached to math, a small island off the artist’s island of Badu.

The forks at the base of the poles were sunk into the sand to support the turtle that was later removed, butchered, cooked in an Amai (earth oven) and feasted on as part of the initiation ceremony.

The Gapu (sucker fish) seen on the underside of the turtle is also a Badu Island totem that was used in the traditional hunting of the turtle and dugong.