This artwork capture the story of the Baru (the crocodile man), who was from the Gumatj clan. 

He lived his life at a place called Yirrkala. Living near him were other people, and when Baru didn't have enough to eat he began to kill and eat these other people. After a while others noticed that some people were missing. When Baru went to the toilet, the people could smell this strong smell, so they knew that he ate the other people.

When they came to Baru's camp they started to spear him in the left side of his ribs. He dropped into the fire and burnt his left hand and then ran into the bush and yelled to his countrymen - the animals, birds and fish that live on the land and in the sea. 

Baru, still in pain from the fire, then jumped into the water and turned himself into a crocodile. The fire left scars on his back. Baru paintings belong to Gumatj and Warrawarra and also the Marpi clan. 

This painting is used at death ceremonies or initiations and it normally is painted on the belly, which means the person that the design is painted on is part of Gurdu Gurdu (the crocodile people).