Pakitiringa - Rain Jilamara Design by Conrad Tipungwuti 55x52cm Cat 7941CT

Pakitiringa (Rain Jilamara Design) by Conrad Tipungwuti: A Celebration of the Wet Season

Conrad Tipungwuti’s work, "Pakitiringa (Rain)," is a well-loved theme depicting the relentless wet season in the top end, where heavy rain falls for months. Since the late 1990s, Conrad has been painting and creating limited edition prints at Jilamara Arts and Crafts Association. Alongside Timothy Cook, he participates in the Ngawa Mantawi (all of us together) program at Jilamara, which supports artists with special needs in having successful careers while staying close to family and Country.

Conrad grew up in the “old camp” at Pirlangimpi (Garden Point) with his parents, surrounded by strong culture and regular ceremonies. Although the old camp no longer exists, it remains a cherished memory of the wulimawi (the old people). His Tiwi name, Kamilowra, was given by Steven Tipuamantumirri, the late husband of renowned artist Cornelia Tipuamantumirri. After his parents passed away, Conrad moved to Nguiu and then Milikapiti, living next door to Jilamara Arts, where he soon joined the art center.

Using ochres or earth pigments sourced around Milikapiti, Conrad’s overarching themes include the wet season Pakatiringa (rain) and the Kulama initiation ceremony. His large concentric circles represent both the yams prepared during the ceremony and the rings around the moon in late wet season, signaling the beginning of Kulama season. This piece, painted with natural earth pigments on canvas, will be shipped on the stretcher frame, ensuring its integrity and provenance from Jilamara Arts, Melville Island.