Jilamara

The term jilamara in Tiwi language actually describes the action of painting, but is also used to describe designs in locally sourced ochres. Many of these designs are originally drawn from elaborate ochre body painting applied to the face and bodies of family and dancers during the Pukumani (mourning) and Kulama (coming of age/yam) ceremonies. In Pukumani ceremonies it is believed the jilamara body paint designs disguise the immediate family from the spirit of the dead, leading to very elaborate compositions on the body. In these ceremonies similar designs are also applied to the tutini (carved ironwood Pukumani poles) and tunga (folded bark bags) which can form central parts of the ceremony. An individual design and aesthetic is highly valued by Tiwi artists and is representative of their personal interpretation of their family’s Tiwi design or jilamara.