This colourful cotton tote bag features the Aboriginal artwork 'Ningarti Mirrijini Kapiwarta' by Mary Elizabeth Moreen courtesy Jilamara Arts & Craft Association.

Jilamara Arts and Crafts Association is an incorporated non-profit, Tiwi governed organisation that was established in 1989. Jilamara is in the remote aboriginal community of Milikapiti, overlooking the Arafura Sea, on the north coast of Melville Island, the larger of two Islands that make up the Tiwi Islands.

The tote bag artwork/placement varies so each one is a little bit different!

Product Details:

• Made in Australia
• Cotton
• Bag 40cm x 40cm
• Base Gusset 16cm
• Handles 60cm
• Tag included with information about the artist

Mary was born in the bush between Mudlow and Karslake on Wulirankuwu Country – the Country of her father’s family. Her parents Ally and Polly Miller were strong cultural elders and leaders of ceremony in the area. Mary was taken to the mission on Bathurst Island at a very young age for education. She returned to Milikapiti, on Melville Island, aged 18.  At the time Mary believed her parents had passed away but, arriving back in Milikapiti her father took her to a Kulama [Coming of Age] ceremony.

She learnt to dance and listened to her father sing. At first, she did not understand as she had only learnt English at the mission, but Ally and Polly taught her to speak Tiwi and to understand the Tiwi song-lines. They also taught her to carve and weave pandanus for ceremonial body ornaments, during this time in her early adulthood.

The Australian Made tote will be a colourful and practical shopping bag and will make a unique Aboriginal gift or souvenir from Australia.

Royalties from this product directly benefit the artist and their community