• Yamparriparri (Puruntatameri shooting star) 1

Lucinta Puruntatameri

Yamparriparri (Puruntatameri shooting star) 1

  
At night, the Tiwi skies come alive with the shimmering presence of Yamparriparri — the shooting star. In Tiwi culture, Yamparriparri is not just a celestial light; she is Tukuwanyinga, a ten-year-old girl whose spirit stretches across the night sky. She is an ancestor and totem of the Puruntatameri family, a powerful symbol connecting heritage and the cosmos. “When I was a kid during the bush holidays which is in June/July, we often went camping for 4 weeks. That is our time to learn about culture through storytelling and we learnt how to hunt and live on the land. We had no tents so we used to sleep under the stars with all the families. We would tell stories and be looking up into the skies, looking at the stars, satellites and shooting stars.” This painting is a reflection of those sacred nights — a tribute to Yamparriparri, to family, and to the enduring power of storytelling under the stars.

  • Natural ochres on Stringybark
  • Dimensions: 43cm x 27cm
  • Cat No. 26-11


Lucinta Puruntatameri was born in Darwin on 6/05/1995, and she grew up in Pirlangimpi, where she went to the local Primary School. Lucinta received a scholarship to attend the Presbyterian Ladies' College, in Armidale (NSW), and later went to Downlands College in Toowoomba. She has one beautiful son. Lucinta’s father’s country is Rangini, Melville Island, and her mother’s country is Malawu, Bathurst Island. Lucinta has three totems, including: Kirilima (Jungle Fowl), Jurrukukuni (Night owl), and Yamparriparri (shooting star). Lucinta recalls watching her mum and all the old people painting as she was growing up. This inspired her and she began to paint when she was 20 years old. Lucinta is one of 6 children and her mother, Shirley Puruntatameri who was Born on Bathurst Island and is a Tiwi elder, and also an artist. When her children grew up, Shirley began to paint at Munupi Arts. Today both Shirley and Lucinta are dedicated artists who can be found painting at Munupi arts almost every weekday. Lucinta, like her mother, is committed to her creative practice. Through her own daily artistic practice, and watching her mother and other elders paint, Lucinta has developed her own unique style. Her bold yet intricate designs reflect both her individual identity and creativity, and her strong connections with her ancestors—their ancient artistic and cultural traditions, cosmology, wisdom, and knowledge. Lucinta describes her painting process as ‘a way to connect with my family members, particularly to my father, and his relatives and other ancestors’. ~ Munupi Arts


Munupi Arts & Crafts Association is located along Melville Islands north-western coastline at Pirlangimpi (Garden Point) and is the most recently formed art centre on the Tiwi Islands. In 1990 the Yikikini Women’s Centre and Pirlangimpi Pottery were incorporated under the name Munupi Arts and Crafts Association giving local artists an opportunity to proudly celebrate Tiwi culture through both traditional and contemporary mediums. Eddie Puruntatameri was the first president of Munupi Arts and Crafts. Eddie worked at Tiwi Pottery at Nguiu for many years until he moved to Pirlangimpi in late 1983 and set up a pottery workshop in the community. The first major works at Munupi were several large mural panels. The painted panels were placed around the community at Pirlangimpi Airport, the Council Office, Pirlangimpi Pottery and at the Women’s Centre. Artists who contributed to this project were Thelca Puruntatameri, Reppie Orsto, Fatima Kantilla, Donna Burak, Francesca Puruntatameri and Therese Ann Tipiloura. The first Munupi Arts and Crafts exhibition ‘Munupi Dreaming’ was held in October 1990 at Shades of Ochre, Darwin. The exhibition included painted furniture, paintings, limited edition prints and terracotta pots. Munupi artists have continued to exhibit both within Australia and internationally. Many artists from Munupi Arts and Craft have participated in workshops at the art centre and abroad. Drawing inspiration from their natural lush environment and Tiwi creation stories, Munupi artists employ ochres, gouache and acrylic paint. Munupi Arts and Crafts are also highly regarded for the diversity of their range of works including painting, pottery, carving, weaving, screen prints, etchings, linocut prints, lithographs and screen printed textiles.


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