Abraham Stockman Tjungurrayi

This painting depicts a ‘Muliera’ men’s ceremony performed at Yarrapilong, Papunya in the central desert region of Australia. Muliera is a teaching ceremony which forms part of the initiation of young males. In this case the initiates are taught the significance and importance of the Mulyippi (sweet potato), its dreaming and its role in the desert people’s delicately balanced food chain. The designs are symbolic of body paint and ground paintings the men use for ceremony. The dotting effect represents ‘Wamulu’, a pulp created from a small herbaceous plant that is coloured with various ochres and also plastered over the bodies of the participants in accordance with this ceremony. The circles represent the groups of men and the lines are the paths they travel.