Cotton Tea Towel - Digital Print - 62.5cm x 42.5cm-JPA145

During Ceremony on the Tiwi Islands a series of "Yoi", dances are performed, some are totemic (matrilineal) and others act out newly composed songs. Participants are painted with turtiyanginari (natural ochres) transforming the dancers and protecting them against mapurtiti (spirits). These designs are collectively called Jilamara.

MALIKIJARRA JUKURRPA (TWO DOGS DREAMING)

In this Dreaming story, two dog ancestors, a Jampijinpa and a Napangardi, travelled from the west to the east. At Tapu (a rockhole), the two dogs separated. The female dog, Napangardi, went to the south, and the male dog, Jampijinpa, went to the north. Eventually, he became lonely and howled for Napangardi in the south.

She came running to him, and they married at Ngarnka. They wore men’s and women’s marriage headdresses, and Jampijinpa painted himself with white clay for the ceremony.

The two dogs continued running east before arriving in Warlaku (Ali Curung). Many other dogs were living in Warlaku when they arrived. There were many families of dogs—mothers, fathers, children, and uncles—all living together.

Jampijinpa and Napangardi made a burrow to rest in and started a big family of dogs there. They chose to stay in Warlaku and live with all the other dogs. In this way, the ‘malikijarra Jukurrpa’ (two dogs Dreaming) tells the story of proper conduct in families and marriages.

Cotton Tea Towel - Digital Print - 62.5cm x 42.5cm-MNM600

In this Dreaming story, two dog ancestors, a Jampijinpa and a Napangardi, travelled from the west to the east. At Tapu (a rockhole), the two dogs separated. The female dog, Napangardi, went to the south. The male dog, Jampijinpa, went to the north. Eventually he became lonely and howled for Napangardi in the south. She came running to him, and they married each other at Ngarnka. They wore men’s and women's marriage headdresses, and Jampijinpa painted himself with white clay for the ceremony. The two dogs continued running east, before arriving in Warlaku (Ali Curung). Many other dogs were living in Warlaku when they arrived. There were many families of dogs, mothers and fathers and children and uncles all living together. Jampijinpa and Napangardi made a burrow to rest in and started a big family of dogs there. They chose to stay in Warlaku and live with all the other dogs. In this way, the malikijarra Jukurrpa (two dogs Dreaming) tells the story of proper conduct in families and marriages

Cotton Tea Towel – Digital Print – 62.5cm x 42.5cm-JWO826

Julie is telling the story of two sisters travelling through her mother’s country towards Docker River, Northern Territory. They stopped at Ilkuwaratjara and cut a wana (digging sIck). The punu (wood) was really straight. The little sister was gettng homesick, but the big sister said; “No, I am taking you to meet your family.” Along the way they were digging for kuka (meat such as goanna) and Niny (Bilby). They got kuka and they were happy to have a good feed. The ‘U’ shapes are the sisters. Next to them are their wana or digging sick. The circles represent rock or water holes where water collects after the rains.

Cotton Tea Towel - Digital Print - 62.5cm x 42.5cm-DYM975

This is a very detailed painting which describes a dry time of year in Damien’s homeland, Mount Liebig. The painting illustrates aspects of landscape and culture around that area that was told to Damien by his great-grandmother and great- grandfather. There are women sitting with their children collecting bush potatoes (the mass of red shapes at the bottom of the painting). The women are talking and getting ready for a ceremony. There is one man (wati) sitting down with his waru (spear). The spinifex is dry and so the man is walking around making bushfires. He is a good man, he is undertaking controlled burnings so the spinifex burns up and then good fruits can grow after this. There are several symbols in this painting. The small sun-like symbols represent women's body painting these are the images the women are painting on each other as they sit down ready for inma traditional ceremony. There is a dry creek bed running through the painting (in red and white), and there are cracks in the ground and claypans. There are also dried rockholes (tjukula), and next to them are tali sandhills.