AKE LIANGA UNKNOWN VOYAGE
Original Only Acrylic on Canvas © Copyright Ake Lianga 2000
This painting is based on a legend that tells of a baby girl being born to a snake in a cave outside a village. The snake and girl lived in seclusion until many years later when the girl was grown. One day the young woman was kidnapped and forced to marry the son of the village chief. Shortly thereafter, the young woman gave birth to a baby girl. Each day as the husband went to fish in the sea, the young mother would take her daughter out of the village to visit with the snake. As the snake was babysitting, the young mother would tend to her daily chores, much to the satisfaction and amazement of her husband. One day her husband was suspicious as to the activities of his wife and decided to follow her during the day. He watched as she left their daughter with the snake and saw as she returned to the village. Fearing for his child, the husband attacks the snake and cuts the animal in two. He throws one half into the river and drags the other half to the sea. Legend tells that the half that landed in the river became what is now known as an eel and the half thrown in the ocean became a sea serpent. When the young woman felt that the snake was in danger, she raced over the snake cave but only to see masses of blood. Horrified with her husband, the young woman grabbed her daughter and raced to the ocean, never to be seen again. Legend holds that the mother and daughter were carried away by the sea serpent.

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