Lharagula Ngididin

90 x 12 x 4cm Maguj (plastic ghost nets) and Nanja (pandanus spiralis)

"We collect ghost nets from Numbulwar’s shores". The women of Numbulwar transform these discarded materials into meaningful works. Their practice reclaims materials from the fishing industry's mass production, giving new life to plastic waste while sharing my powerful cultural narratives. They soak, scrub and sometimes dethread the nets to make them ready for weaving. Through this process, they not only reimagine the purpose of ghost nets but also highlight their environmental impact. Lharagula Ngididin (Crocodile Trap) is not a hunting tool, but an imagined and poetic object. Nicola combined traditional pandanus with contemporary ghost nets to speak about her Country and send a warning. Like many sea creatures, perhaps even crocodiles have been trapped in it. Ella Doonan said ‘This work is an act of resistance and self-determination.’ Nicola has inspired others too. Together with her Walgilag clan, they created a 290cm Lharagula Ngididin. Who knows - maybe it will catch a crocodile after all!