Migaloo Introspection by Ayla Costello

Migaloo Introspection reflects the tension and beauty of living between two identities.

I am a descendant of the Quandamooka people through my father and of white Australians through my mother. This self-portrait captures the duality and complexity of walking through the world with skin that appears white, while carrying the cultural knowledge and lived experience of a proud Blak woman.

The painting is set at Bummiera (Brown Lake), a sacred place tied to generations of Quandamooka women. In the background, the lake represents cultural continuity and ancestral strength. In contrast, the figure appears worn and unwell, marked by a forked tongue that has labelled me “angry Aboriginal girl”.

But that tongue, painted gold, is not venom. It’s powerful. It carries the voice of Kabul the carpet snake, my tribe’s totem. And in my hands, gold pools are a reminder that my words, culture and strength are not something to hide. From this journey of self-discovery emerges Jandakil, the green tree frog, my personal totem and a symbol of transformation.