Abie Loy Kemarre

In Aboriginal culture, ceremonies are focal points in the life of the community. They are held for different purposes, but are integral to the happiness and well being of the people. The people dance and celebrate to acknowledge the fertility of the land, the health of the people, the initiation of young men or to mourn the passing of a loved one. They would smear their bodies with animal fat and would then trace certain ceremonial designs on the top half of their body using a variety of powders ground from charcoal and yellow and red ochre. They would gather together and sing and dance, led by the most senior women of the clan group. The women’s ceremony is kept separate to the men’s ceremony, though each is equally important. The main point is that the people are demonstrating their respect and love for the land. The body paint designs would vary from ceremony to ceremony and would depend on the subject and the time of year the ceremony is held. Different symbols are painted on the body and may vary from person to person depending on the seniority of each member.