Malliera Ceremonies, 1999 by Dr George Tjapaltjarri 122x36cm Cat 3349DG

The Malliera Ceremony initiation is the first stage of the lifetime commitment to traditional law and the introduction to an understanding of the Tingari Cycle which are of a secret and sacred nature few details are given.

Dr George, as a law man and a big ritual leader who is incredibly important with sacred objects, possessed an encyclopaedic nature of knowledge of culture and law as well as his extensive knowledge of bush medicines and traditional healing.

The bold yellow lines against the red background in this painting depict the body paint applied to the youths, either those of ritual scarification or body paint.

As with most paintings by Dr George, his works can be hung in vertically or horizontally, as one looks down over the stretches of country, and the parallel allusion of body paint and ritual scarification.