TDP 18. Maliera Body Paint Designs, Dr. George, 1999, 51" x 24" (129 x 61 cms.)

Dr. George is an important Pintupi elder as well as being a "Maparn" or traditional medecine man of considerable reputation, hence the honorific of Doctor. The bold series of horizontal lines represent ceremonial body paint designs worn by young men during Malliera initiation ceremonies. The site associated with these designs is Pulpulpa in the Gibson Desert of Western Australia, the artist's traditional country. The body paint designs appear to imply a strong association with the desert landscape, it's sandhills, soakages, and creek beds.

The story of the events that created the physical environment of Pulpulpa is related in the song cycles of the Tingari Cycle. The Tingari are a group of mythical ancestors of the Dreaming who traveled over vast stretches of the country, performing rituals, creating and shaping particular sites. Their travels and adventures are enshrined in a number of song cycles.