Lot 6
Jilamara Design
Shirley Puruntatameri (nee Tipungwuti)
120 x 80 cm
Ochre on canvas
Bid on this piece
About the Artist
Shirley was born on Bathurst Island and now lives at Pirlangimpi. She and her partner have 6 children. Her dreaming is the water buffalo.
About the Work
During ceremony on the Tiwi Islands a series of 'yoi' (dances), are performed; some are totemic (inherited fromthe person's Mother) and some serve to act out the narrative of newly composed songs..Participants in these ceremonies are painted with turtiyanginari (the different natural ochre colours) in varying designs, transforming the dancers and, in some cases, providing protection against recognition by mapurtiti(spirits). These designs can be applied in different ways. Ochre is applied to the body and face. These significant artistic designs collectively are called 'Jilamara'.
