ABORIGINAL DESERT ART  GALLERY

AGNES RUBUNTJA

WOMEN'S DREAMING
( CEREMONY )

This painting tells of women's business, an initiation ceremony for women. The women depicted here (by stylised horseshoe motif) may be past initiates, or young women awaiting instruction from older women. Initiates are taught their roles as nurturers of the land and keepers of the law by which life's rules and regulations are set. The concentric circles represent secret ceremonial sites. Ceremonies always involve song, dance and body decoration, The ownership, management and performance is dependent upon knowledge and status

Bodypainting carries deep spiritual significance for the Aboriginal people. They recognise the creative nature of this activity, which uses the human body itself as a living canvas for artistic expression. The use of particular designs and motifs denotes social position and the relationship of the individuals to their family group and to particular ancestors, totemic animals and tracts of land. In many situations individuals are completely transformed so they 'become' the spirit ancestor they are portraying in the dance.

Patterns must conform to the ceremony being performed, and the women are not at liberty to adorn themselves with designs of free will. Elaborate ground constructions (sand paintings) are also made. Usually during ceremonies, their bodypainting depicts similar linear designs as those illustrated in the ground paintings.

The women are shown sitting around three ceremonial site's, painting their bodies with markings in preparation for the ceremony. Ochres and Spinifex ashes are mixed with Kangaroo or Emu fat to make the body paint. Bodypainting ranges from simply smearing clay across the face, to intrinsic full body patterning.

Owing however to the secret and sacred nature of the ceremonies no further information was given.