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For thousands of years, we the Alngith people have considered Cyclone as our totem and believe in its protective and supernatural power. There are many myths and dream-time stories surrounding our totem which are all based on certain values, morals and inspirational lessons. These concepts and lessons have been like a guiding light and tower of strength for our people throughout centuries. Our ancestors have handed down these stories which form the basis of our spirituality and world view from generation to generation, chest to chest, through oral narratives in our traditional community settings.
Our totems bring a sense of spiritual elevation as well as intellectual emancipation and emotional continuity from the past to the present and onward to t he future. The stories associated with our totems reveal our rich and proud past and help us to cope with the challenges of the present and lead our way to the future. This visual art feature is not merely for entertainment or a decorative piece of public art. It will help our people to see, recognise, celebrate and appreciate our cultural heritage and history. Furthermore the totem monument will become a means of cultural revival for us which in turn will result in community development, engagement and relations for the whole Weipa community.
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