Tingari Cycle, 2001 by Dr George Tjapaltjarri 91x152cm

Tingari Cycle, 2001 – Dr George Tjapaltjarri (91x152cm)

A Sacred Map of Ancestral Journeys and Ceremonial Power

Dr George Tjapaltjarri’s Tingari Cycle, 2001 is a powerful and deeply spiritual work, a testament to the enduring law and sacred knowledge of the Pintupi people. As a Ngankari (traditional healer) and senior lawman, Dr George’s role extended far beyond painting—he was a custodian of the Tingari stories, ensuring their survival through both ceremony and art.

This striking composition, rendered in rich ochre reds and whites against a deep black background, is imbued with the sacred presence of the Tingari ancestors, the powerful men of the Dreaming era who traversed the desert, performing rituals and shaping the landscape. Their journeys, mapped through concentric circles and interwoven lines, trace the ceremonial sites where knowledge was imparted, law was reinforced, and sacred teachings were passed down.

At the heart of this work is Pintalpura (Jupiter Well), an important site in the Gibson Desert, where the Tingari conducted Malliera (young men’s initiation) ceremonies. These secretive rites of passage ushered initiates into deeper layers of cultural understanding, introducing them to sacred songs, spiritual law, and the profound relationship between land and ancestry. Here, the Tingari ancestors also gathered kampararpa (desert raisin) and purra (red gum bark antiseptic), reinforcing the inseparability of ceremony, survival, and the land itself.

Dr George’s paintings are not just visual representations —they are sacred transmissions, echoes of ceremonies that continue to shape the lives of Pintupi initiates today. His classic iconography is both raw and sophisticated, distilling complex knowledge into pure, rhythmic forms that resonate with spiritual energy. The pulsing geometry of the circles and pathways embodies the very essence of ancestral movement, creating a composition that is alive with the presence of the Dreaming.

Tingari Cycle, 2001 is an extraordinary and highly collectible work, holding both artistic brilliance and profound cultural significance. To own such a piece is to hold a fragment of the sacred, a rare glimpse into a world where law, landscape, and ceremony are one. It is not just a painting—it is a living connection to the wisdom of the Ancestors, an invitation to step into the sacred rhythm of the Dreaming.