The Legend of Ina and the Shark...

Many years ago I was inspired by the legend of Ina & the Shark to do this painting - actually the first of several large paintings that I did inspired by the mythology of Polynesia. The legend is:
                           
                            'Like a solitary tree is Ina
                  who committed herself to the winds.
                         Ina invoked the lordly shark
                         to bear her safely on its back 
                      to the royal Tinirau o'ver the sea.

                             Alas the bruised head 
                              of the angry monster...
                                      who hitherto
                         had obeyed the young maid...
                               who opened a coconut
                      on her voyage to the Sacred Isle.