All jilamara (design) are originally drawn from the body painting, which accompanied the pukumani (funeral) and kulama (initiation/yam) ceremonies. An individual design and aesthetic is highly valued by Tiwi artists and is representative of their personal interpretation of the traditional Tiwi design or jilamara.
These textiles are hand screen printed on hanky linen by a team of four printers, in the Nancy Henry Ripijingimpi screen-printing studio at Milikapiti on the Tiwi Islands. Each meterage is unique and will most likely have one or two bush touches (a little Milikapiti earth, a smudge of ochre etc). These imperfections remind you of where and how these textiles were made.