Produced by Kabi Kabi man Fred Embrey at Manumbar in the 1930s, this genre of figurative carving is without equal in south-east Queensland. The figure represents Djan’djari, mischievous guardian spirits who live in the forest on Kabi Kabi Country and surrounds.

Carved figures such as this are artefacts of ceremony. Embrey’s great grandson Alex Bond describes the carving as:

Important cultural art that comes from Kabi Kabi mob . . . These are djan’djaris . . . little hairy men. ‘Djan’ is man, ‘djari’ is little. ‘Little man’.¹

Fred Embrey (c.1874–1939) was a notable figure in the history of Cherbourg Aboriginal Settlement and of Aboriginal performance and song in south-east Queensland. His Djan’djari is a rare object of national significance.

The Fred Embrey Sculpture Research Project confirmed Embrey created Djan'djari figure. You can explore a 3D model of the work, produced at QAGOMA through photogrammetry. 
 

Endnote

1. Alex Bond and Paul Memmott, interview with Peter McKay, Brisbane, 24 February 2020.