The painting depicts a female rock spirit (Mimi spirit), fish and dilly bag (A dilly bag is a traditional Australian Aboriginal bag, generally woven from the fibres of plant species) illustrated in a cross-hatching art style.(cross-hatching is where diagonal lines are drawn close together to create shadow or depth).

The Mimi's are tall, thin beings that live in the rocky escarpment of northern Australia as spirits. Before the coming of Aboriginal people they had human forms. Mimi Spirits are generally harmless but on occasions can be mischievous.

When Aboriginal people first came to northern Australia, the Mimi taught them how to hunt and cook kangaroos and other animals. They also did the first rock paintings and taught Aboriginal people how to paint.

If you would like to know more about Rock Spirit and the relationship with Aboriginal Art and culture, please read the following articles:

• Ancestral Rock Paintings
• Aboriginal Spirituality
• Aboriginal Art & Paintings