ḡaumaḡauma (act of taming, recognition of the bloodline)

21.5.25 - 28.6.25
Opening | Live Performance: 21 May
Bus Projects


Ḡaumaḡauma (pronounced ow-ma-ow-ma), meaning “the act of taming” or “recognition of the bloodline” in the Balawaian language, refers to both a spoken mantra and a ritual enacted when passing through sacred sites. Through this practice, ancestral spirits are alerted to the presence of kin, ensuring protection for those who pass.

Functioning as a transitional space—a threshold or portal—the gallery space is reimagined as a sacred site through which one moves from one state or realm to another. At both entryways to the gallery, a leaf with a hole hollowed out of its centre hangs in the doorframes. Traditionally, these magical leaves are used to ward off a great serpent, a mystical being invisible to the naked eye. The hole in the leaf—known as ‘bogaboga’—functions like a lens, allowing one to glimpse the serpent's hidden form. In the ritual of ‘ḡaumaḡauma’, a protective rite, the leaf is ceremonially waved twice to the right and twice to the left, a gesture that prepares the body for passage and shields it from unseen forces.

ḡaumaḡauma (act of taming, recognition of the bloodline) is an immersive environment combining installation, soundscape, frottage, and live performance. It becomes a touch-sensitive experience in which the connection between the body and Melanesian cultural practice and mythology is made tangible.


Installation: Dean Ansell, Connor Andree-Evarts & Josiah Roberts
Audio Technician: Connor Andree-Evarts
Special Thanks: Annie Margot, Kyle McIntyre & Bus Projects Volunteers