Nyilyari Tjapangati
Pintupi Language Group
Untitled
91 x 91cm
Ref No: NT1108138
This painting depicts designs associated with the salt lake site of Wilkinkarra (Lake Mackay). In ancestral times a large group of Tingari men visited this site on their travels towards the east. The men had previously visited the rockhole site of Winparku (Mt. Webb) further south. The concentric squares in this painting depict the soakage waters near Winparku, while the jagged lines represent the path of the Tingari men as they travelled towards Wilkinkarra. The design is also consistent with those used during rain making ceremonies.
Since events associated with the Tingari Cycle are of a secret sacred nature no further details were given.
The Tingari are a group of ancestral beings of the Dreaming who travelled over vast stretches of the country, performing rituals and creating and shaping particular sites. The Tingari men were usually followed by Tingari women and accompanied by novices. Their travels and adventures are enshrined in a number of song cycles. These mythologies form part of the teachings of post initiatory youths today as well as providing explanations for contemporary customs.