Virginia Galarla

Men with status had Minga design. Usually head of the clan or chief. If they had 10 wives they 5 Minga on each arm. And sometimes it would make them look beautiful. Some other men also had it because they became initiated as leaders and some had them on their bum and some had them on their chest. Some times women had them too. I remember grandma had them on her arms. I asked how come she had them on both arms. Three on each side. She said well the men that I had did not stay long enough. She was married to 3 husbands but she also had another three that did not stay around long. She wore calico around her body to cover herself so I never knew whether she had Minga on her bottom or not. When they cut the Minga into the skin, its white underneath, then pink and then red and then the skin turns yellow. That’s why I put the white and sometimes the other colours.
Mainly men had them. And I used to ask questions like why has he got them.? I was also interested in a curious way about them and to find answers you had to ask questions I often asked my dad questions. Dad was the one who told me that men and women of status had Minga. I always thinks about my mum and grandfather and the old people when I do my Minga paintings.