In the Dreamtime ancestral beings wandered over the vast deserts of Central Australia, teaching language, law and ceremony to the people living at isolated camps. These ancestors could be men or women. The most important women ancestors of the Central Desert were two women called the kunga-kutjarra, who were auntie and niece. On their travels they sat down at each of the desert camps and taught the women living there all of the song and dance cycles which were to be performed in sacred ceremonies. These related to the adventures and teachings of the kunga-kutjarra and were to be passed down in ceremonies and by word of mouth to succeeding generations. They also taught women how to hunt for food such as small animals, fruit, yams and berries, and how to find water soaks in the vast sandy deserts. Sacred designs which were to be painted onto women's bodies for ceremonies were once only illustrated in the sand, and it is only in recent times that these designs and colours have been allowed to be shown on canvas for all the world to see.

 

Ceremonies always involve song, dance and body decoration, the ownership, management and performance are dependent upon knowledge and status. The paintings often depict the women's ceremonial site near where, the women were painting their bodies with markings in preparation for the ceremony many of which revolve around bush tuckers, such as yam, banana, wild tomato, plum, onions, honey ants, witchetty grubs, nuts and berries. In their paintings they depict the implements they use, including digging sticks, grinding stones, and coolamons for carrying. Bodypainting carries deep spiritual significance for the Aboriginal people. They recognise the creative nature of this activity, which uses the human body itself as a living canvas for artistic expression. The use of particular designs and motifs denotes social position and the relationship of the individuals to their family group and to particular ancestors, totemic animals and tracts of land. In many situations’ individuals are completely transformed so they 'become' the spirit ancestor they are portraying in the dance. Patterns must conform to the ceremony being performed, and the women are not at liberty to adorn themselves with designs of free will. Elaborate ground constructions (sand paintings) are also made. Usually during ceremonies, their bodypainting depicts similar linear designs as those illustrated in the ground paintings. Ochres and Spinifex ashes are mixed with Kangaroo or Emu fat to make the body paint. Bodypainting ranges from simply smearing clay across the face, to intrinsic full body patterning. Owing however to the secret and sacred nature of some of the ceremonies involved no further interpretation is possible.