The term jilamara in Tiwi language actually describes the action of painting, but is also used to describe designs in locally sourced ochres. Many of these designs are originally drawn from elaborate ochre body painting applied to the face and bodies of family and dancers during the Pukumani (mourning) and Kulama (coming-of-age/yam) ceremonies. In Pukumani ceremonies it is believed the jilamara disguise the immediate family from the spirit of the dead, leading to very elaborate compositions on the body. In these ceremonies similar designs are also applied to the tutting (carved ironwood Pukumani poles) and tunga (bark bags) which can form central parts of the ceremony. An individual design and aesthetic is highly valued by Tiwi artists and is representative of their personal interpretation of their family's Tiwi design or jilamara.

DETAILS

• Ochre on Stringybark
• Dimensions: 86 x 31 cm
• Cat No. 485-25

ARTIST

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ART CENTRE

The term jilamara in Tiwi language actually describes the action of painting, but is also used to describe designs in locally sourced ochres. Many of these designs are originally drawn from elaborate ochre body painting applied to the face and bodies of family and dancers during the Pukumani (mourning) and Kulama (coming-of-age/yam) ceremonies. In Pukumani ceremonies it is believed the jilamara disguise the immediate family from the spirit of the dead, leading to very elaborate compositions on the body. In these ceremonies similar designs are also applied to the tutting (carved ironwood Pukumani poles) and tunga (bark bags) which can form central parts of the ceremony. An individual design and aesthetic is highly valued by Tiwi artists and is representative of their personal interpretation of their family's Tiwi design or jilamara.

DETAILS

• Ochre on Stringybark
• Dimensions: 79 x 20 cm
• Cat No. 344-25 1

ARTIST

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ART CENTRE

Tiwi totems are significant to the Tiwi people who inherit these cultural identities from members of their family. This totem is then forever held by that person. They identify with it and other members of the community who have the same totem. They also perform the yoyi (dance) associated with the totem at ceremonies. They often take animal form and include iconic Tiwi species such as, Jukurrukukuni (Boobook Owl), Yirrikipayi (Crocodile), Jarrangini (Buffalo), Tartuwali (Shark), Jilarti (Brolga) and many more, but they also sometimes take the form of other significant objects such as Kapala ( Sailing Boat).

DETAILS

• Ochre on Stringybark
• Dimensions: 52 x 13 cm
• Cat No. 409-25

ARTIST

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ART CENTRE

Tokwampini was the messenger in the Pukumani mythology, as he told Purukaparli that his wife Wai-ai had committed adultery with her brother-in-law, Japarra. This event lead to the mortality of the Tiwi people, the first death and the first funeral (Pukumani).Tokwampini became a Black-necked Stork (Jabiru). Tokwampini is also the common Tiwi name for bird. Birds were humans long ago. When Purukuparli said `I will have a big ceremony for my son' the birds heard. There were Pelicans, Owls and all sorts of birds. One of the birds spoke to Purukuparli and said `If you are having ceremony, we will give you feathers for your headband, armbands and Goose featherball to decorate yourself so you won't be recognised by the spirit of the dead.'

DETAILS

• Ochre on Ironwood
• Dimensions: 37 cm
• Cat No. 40-26

ARTIST

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ART CENTRE

Tiwi Culture places special significance on the Pukumani (mourning) ceremony. Mourners are decorated using natural ochres to disguise themselves from the spirit of the deceased and song and dance is performed to honour the dead. Yirrinkiripwoja (bodypaint) is the source of many contemporary Tiwi designs and performance of the Pukumani as ritual helps to reinvigorate the imagery. The shortening of the word to pwoja - also refers to 'bone' and people use this word to refer to the toothed ironwood comb used to apply the ochre in sequences of dots.

DETAILS

• Ochre on Stringybark
• Dimensions: 85 x 20 cm
• Cat No. 345-25 1

ARTIST

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ART CENTRE

Tokwampini was the messenger in the Pukumani mythology, as he told Purukaparli that his wife Wai-ai had committed adultery with her brother-in-law, Japarra. This event lead to the mortality of the Tiwi people, the first death and the first funeral (Pukumani).Tokwampini became a Black-necked Stork (Jabiru). Tokwampini is also the common Tiwi name for bird. Birds were humans long ago. When Purukuparli said `I will have a big ceremony for my son' the birds heard. There were Pelicans, Owls and all sorts of birds. One of the birds spoke to Purukuparli and said `If you are having ceremony, we will give you feathers for your headband, armbands and Goose featherball to decorate yourself so you won't be recognised by the spirit of the dead.'

DETAILS

• Ochre on Ironwood
• Dimensions: 65 cm
• Cat No. 390-25

ARTIST

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ART CENTRE

Magpie Geese are locally referred to as Nyarringari (f). They are big birds with knobbed heads. They usually inhabit the islands from September until the end of the wet season (around the end of March). The nyarringari yoyi is performed by some families around Goose Creek.

DETAILS

• Ochre on Stringybark
• Dimensions: 67 x 26 cm
• Cat No. 419-25

ARTIST

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ART CENTRE

Japarra and Japalinga feature heavily in ceremonial representations on the Tiwi Islands. Japarra (moon) is a major signifier of season and the coming of the Kulama ceremony, the coming-of-age ceremony that is held at the end of the wet season when a ring appears around the moon. Japalinga (stars) are usually represented by ochre dots and commonly appear in various forms of jilamara – body paint designs that the Tiwi apply to each other for ceremony and yoyi (dance).

DETAILS

• Ochre on Stringybark
• Dimensions: 27 x 16 cm
• Cat No. 50-26 1

ARTIST

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ART CENTRE

All jilamara (design) is originally drawn from the body painting which accompanied the Pukumani (funeral) and Kurlama (initiation/yam) ceremonies. All the artists living at Milikapiti are drawing on collective Tiwi memory, and the individual expression and aesthetic qualities of each artitst’s work is reflective of their personal interpretation of traditional Tiwi design or jilamara.

DETAILS

• Ochre on Stringybark
• Dimensions: 54 x 27 cm
• Cat No. 105-25

ARTIST

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ART CENTRE

Mickey Wilson's unique use of fine jilamara (body paint design) in his words are; "all about the clouds we get up here in build up and wet season." On the Tiwi's the weather not only indicates the change of seasons, but also indicates times to hold ceremonies such as the Kulama (coming of age ceremony) that occurs at the end of the wet season when a ring appears around japarra (the moon). Indicators of seasonal change can also mark the coming of different hunting seasons, like the coming of large wet season clouds over the wetlands of Melville Island during the build up months signals the start of Naganari (Magpie Goose) hunting. Wilson's combinations of marlipinyini (lines) and pwanga (dots) in ochre design outline the changing combinations of clouds and rain that make up the various seasons of the tropical Tiwi Islands.

DETAILS

• Ochre on Stringybark
• Dimensions: 100 x 13 cm
• Cat No. 231-25

ARTIST

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ART CENTRE

Tokwampini was the messenger in the Pukumani mythology, as he told Purukaparli that his wife Wai-ai had committed adultery with her brother-in-law, Japarra. This event lead to the mortality of the Tiwi people, the first death and the first funeral (Pukumani).Tokwampini became a Black-necked Stork (Jabiru). Tokwampini is also the common Tiwi name for bird. Birds were humans long ago. When Purukuparli said `I will have a big ceremony for my son' the birds heard. There were Pelicans, Owls and all sorts of birds. One of the birds spoke to Purukuparli and said `If you are having ceremony, we will give you feathers for your headband, armbands and Goose featherball to decorate yourself so you won't be recognised by the spirit of the dead.'

DETAILS

• Ochre on Ironwood
• Dimensions: 47 cm
• Cat No. 471-25

ARTIST

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ART CENTRE