Kayimwagakimi jilamara

Kayimwagakimi is the traditional Tiwi painting ‘comb’. Made from bloodwood or ironwood, it is about 15cm high with a single row of teeth. The comb is dabbed in ochre and applied to the painting surface resulting in a straight line of fine dots, a process which is repeated over and over. Kayimwagakimi and marlipinyini (a fine stick or pandanus frond chewed to form a brush) have largely been replaced by modern brushes but a handful of Tiwi still use traditional tools.