Mimih Poles - the latest addition to St Vincent's Clinic's art collection

As part of its mission to provide excellence in patient care, St Vincent’s Clinic has a collection of artworks that help to promote a positive healing environment for patients and visitors to the clinic.

The latest additions to the collection are Mimih Spirit Poles from Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory. Mimih are a common subject of artists among the Kunibidj people, speakers of the Ndjebana language and the traditional landowners of the Manigrida area.

Aboriginal people from the region tell of the existence of the tall, slender spirits that they believe live in a social organisation similar to Aboriginal people and that Mimih society existed before humans. Mimih are credited with teaching the first people to survive in the rocky environment of the Arnhem Land Plateau and also how to hunt, dance, sing and paint. The song and dance of Western Arnhem Land Aboriginal people is known as Mimih style.

The Mimih Spirit Poles can be viewed on the fourth floor of St Vincent’s Clinic in the corridor that leads to St Vincent’s Private Hospital.