Minta & Miparri by Delilah Freddy Puruntatameri Natural Ochres, 40x40cm

Minta & Miparri by Delilah Freddy Puruntatameri depicts the cycad & the fan palm that occur abundantly on the Tiwi Islands. The cycad seeds are a high source of carbohydrate and may only be eaten after being roasted, de-husked, pounded and then soaked in water for 3 days. The fan palm has a variety of uses, stems are used for food and for their medicinal properties, the leaves are used as plates, the fruit is used as a dye and the thorny leaf stems are used as knives for skinning small animals and for gathering honey.

Tiwi artist Delilah Freddy Puruntatameri was born in 1968 in Milikapiti, Melville Island. Her bush name is Ganga and her skin group in Pandanus. Her dance is the Owl and her country in Munupi.

Delilah is the daughter of the late renowned artist Paddy Freddy Puruntatameri and sister to leading Tiwi carvers Patrick Freddy Puruntatameri and Matthew Freddy Puruntatameri. She has lived most of her life at Milikapiti with her family and has been an integral part of Jilamara, the artists association.

A highly sought after artist in both paintings and etching, Delilah Freddy Puruntatameri has exhibited widely and in many collections.

Provenance Jilamara Arts and Crafts Cat # 526-06