Lanita Numina
One of the middle sisters in the renowned group of six desert artists is Lanita Numina. She has two brothers, and her father has passed away, but her mum still paints occasionally. Like her sisters and mother, Lanita hails from a long line of desert painters in contemporary Aboriginal art and the dot-dot central desert movement.
Lanita spent her childhood living with her mum and aunties on Stirling Station near Ti Tree. She began painting later than her older sisters, but was taught by them and other relatives. She was also surrounded by her well-known painter aunts, Gloria and Kathleen Petyarre, who are established artists in Alice Springs.
Lanita mostly lives with her sisters in Darwin, but regularly visits her mum, Barbara Price Mtjimbana, in her hometown, or brings her mum to Darwin to visit.
Awelye ceremonies, also known as Aboriginal women's ceremonies, are sacred rituals that involve body painting, singing, and dancing. Women use a flat stick called a typale to paint their bodies with designs made from ochre, charcoal, and ash, which are related to a specific dreaming and may include symbols that indicate the time of year, the woman's social ranking, and the subject of the ceremony.
During these ceremonies, women sing songs that tell the stories of their ancestors' journeys and pass on knowledge about desert survival, bush tucker, and medicines. They may also dance and move through the sand to create a symbolic pathway. These ceremonies are performed to show respect for the country and the Dreamtime stories that belong there, and to demonstrate responsibility for the health and well-being of the community.
Awelye ceremonies can take several years to complete and involve learning about ceremonial bathing, as well as being separated from the community for extended periods.
