Passing on the Stories of the Central Desert of Australia

Women's Story

Among the Central Desert tribes of Australia, the passing on of the Dreaming story is for the most part gender-related.

For example, the late artist from the Papunya movement, Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri, painted ceremonial dreaming's relating to circumcision and love stories, and lessons for "naughty boys".

His daughters Gabriella Possum and Michelle Possum have tended to paint the "Seven Sisters" Dreaming or the Pleiades, as they inherited that Dreaming through the maternal line. Consequently, they have painted their "Grandmother's Country", which is an expression of their inherited ownership of the land through knowledge of the dreamings.

Clifford and his daughters have not painted the same subjects; Clifford has never painted the "Seven Sisters Dreaming". By tribal law, his daughters are not allowed to see male tribal ceremonies, let alone paint them.   Source Wiki

Images @ Eminpee Fotography