Tarryn Gill

This painting depicts designs associated with a swamp site just to the west of Karrilwarra. This site is situated in sandhill country west of the Kiwirrkura community in Western Australia. In mythological times the ancestral snakes travelled to this site from far in the east, crossing over the sandhills in the area. This mythology forms part of the Tingari Cycle. Since events associated with the Tingari Cycle are of a secret nature no further detail was given. Generally, the Tingari are a group of mythical characters 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 and their travels and adventures are enshrined in a number of song cycles. These mythologies form part of the teachings of the post initiatory youths today as well as providing explanations for contemporary customs.  Source: Utopia Arts Sydney and Papunya Tula Artists