Kulama is the Tiwi initiation ceremony traditionally performed in the early dry season in late February when the ‘cheeky’ round yam, kulama, is harvested as rings become visible around the full moon.

In Nina Puruntatameri’s Kulama Design, the concentric circular motifs on the side of the image suggest the ceremonial dancing ground while the three circles in the center reference the three-day duration of the kulama ritual, as well as the round fire pit in which the yams are cooked.

Like many Tiwi artists, Puruntatameri works across a variety of media, including bark tunga basket making, carving, painting, and a range of printmaking techniques. This dynamic approach to materials lends a fresh and spontaneous quality to works such as Kulama Design, in which the Japanese woodcut method is used to full advantage. Colored with translucent water-based inks and natural ochre, the slightly off-register print delivers a sense of movement and rhythm, echoing kulama’s importance in maintaining and generating new songs and new life.