Until recently, the inhabitants of the Torres Strait prevented children from watching the full Moon. They believed that the Mari - or ‘evil spirits’ - around the Moon at this time could damage the eyes of young children. The damage caused by the Moon's rays was not supposed to appear immediately, but could manifest itself years later.


Dennis remembers that when he was a small child he was always accompanied by an adult who covered his head and eyes every time he went outside when the Moon was full.


The small figures in the composition represent children protecting their eyes from the Moon's rays.