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Catalogue Number: 26/135
This painting shows a special time when Aboriginal women come together to celebrate their culture during ceremony. It is a time for sharing stories, preparing the body, and connecting with Country.
The women collect ochre from the earth and grind it on a smooth rock until it becomes a soft powder. They mix this powder with water to make paint. Ochre is a natural colour from the land, and it can be red, yellow, white, or brown. Each colour comes from a different place and carries its own meaning.
The women paint their bodies with patterns that hold deep importance. These designs can show their dreaming, their Country, their ancestors, and their role in the ceremony.
This tradition has been practiced for many generations. Older women guide the younger ones, showing them how to prepare the ochre, how to place the designs, and what each pattern means, it is passed down from grandmothers, aunties, and mothers.
By learning these designs, the younger women keep their culture strong and carry the knowledge into the future. The painting celebrates women’s strength, the passing of knowledge, and the deep connection between people, land, and ceremony.