The Tiwi Islands
Culture and Country

The Tiwi Islands (Bathurst Island and Melville Island) are located 100 km north of Darwin.

The dangerous waters separating the islands from mainland Australia have allowed the art and culture of the Tiwi people to develop in relative isolation. Tiwi art and language are markedly distinct from those of nearby Arnhem Land. Compared with Arnhem Land art, Tiwi art often appears to be abstract and geometric. With its strong patterns and use of colour, Tiwi art is recognised as being very attractive and highly collectable.

Bathurst and Melville Islands are beautiful tropical islands that are home to nearly 2500 Tiwi-speaking people. The community of Milikapiti has a population of around 400, and about 40 artists work regularly at the Jilamara art centre. As well as young and emerging artists, Jilamara represents Kitty Kantilla, Freda Warlapinni, Pedro Wonaeamirri, Leon Puruntatameri and Maryanne Mungatopi. There are approximately 300 people at Pirlangimpi where Munupi is an active art centre. Some of the best known artists from Munupi include Reppie Orsto (see the Paintings Gallery for Reppie's work) and Thecla Puruntatameri.

On the Tiwi Islands the art of body painting for ceremony has been practised for thousands of years. The decorative patterning of the Tiwi was also used on tutini (graveposts or Pukumani poles) and tungas (bark baskets). The traditional form of mark making was derived from the creation story Palaneri and associated stories -
Dancing or yoi is a part of everyday life on the Tiwi islands. Tiwi inherit their totemic dance (for example, magpie geese) from their mother. There are a number of different skin groups on the Tiwi islands. These are patri-lineally handed down from generation to generation. Different dances are performed for different reasons. Some dance spontaneously happens at celebrations as an expression of emotion or some happen in a more structured manner at ceremonies. Dancing plays an important role in ceremonial events, for example, during the Pukumani ceremony the dances performed reflect the relationship to the deceased.

There is no 'story' as such for individual paintings. The main themes relate to the Pukumani ceremony and pwoja (body painting). The body painting imagery is used as a way of masking people's identity so the deceased cannot reclaim their loved ones. Detailed jilamara (design) also decorates the tutini in honour of the dead. These poles are now recreated for the fine art market, and are always made of cured ironwood. Smaller figurative and bird sculptures are also available.

Tiwi is the main language spoken on Melville and Bathurst Islands. Whilst English is taught at schools as a second language, the Tiwi communicate principally in their own language.
All  jilamara (design) is originally drawn from the body painting which accompanied the pukumani (funeral) and kulama (initiation/yam) ceremonies.
All artists living at Milikapiti are drawing on a collective Towo memory, and the individual expression and aesthetic qualities of each artist’s work is reflective of their personal interpretation of traditional Tiwi design or jilamara.

These three paintings represent age and culture, showing balance and harmony with nature. They are a valuable addition to decors that include space for dynamic, interesting, beautiful art works.
Individual information is available for reading in the folder nearby.
Copies of all information here can be emailed to you or printed for you + more, by contacting us at The Little Shop,15 Moseley Street, Glenelg.