Women’s Body Paint

Khatija Possum Nampitjinpa

Size: 125 x 114cm

The Story: In this painting, Khatija depicts the body paint that was painted on Aboriginal women during important ceremonies and rites of passage. Aboriginal women have their own ceremonies in which a series of song and dance cycles tell of the Ancestral Beings who walked the earth teaching women’s law and ceremony to isolated groups living throughout the desert. Each tribe has unique women ancestors with distinct stories, designs, and dances. However, a common theme shared across groups is the central role of food gathering in women’s lives.

The song and dance ceremonies mainly revolve around bush tucker, such as yam, banana, wild tomato, plum, onions, honey ants, witchetty grubs, nuts, and berries. Paintings frequently depict the tools used in food gathering, including digging sticks, grinding stones, and coolamons for carrying.

During the ceremonies, the women will paint their bodies and breasts in various designs which represent the particular ceremony being performed. Mostly these are curved or straight lines, including circles and squares.