ESTELLE MUNKANOME - JILAMARA
ESTELLE MUNKANOME
JILAMARA, 2000
29 x 57 cm
Natural Earth Pigments on Paper
REGION
Bathurst Island Tiwi, NT
PROVENANCE
Ngaruwanajirri Inc, Tiwi Islands, NT
Cooee Art Leven, NSW
The Private Collection of the artist Idris Murphy, NSW
STORY
During ceremony on the Tiwi Islands a series of 'yoi' (dances), are performed; some are totemic (inherited from the 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'.
ARTIST PROFILE