Pedro Wonaemirri
Pedro Wonaeamirri, born in 1974 in Pirlangimpi (Pularumpi) on Melville Island, is a distinguished artist and cultural leader among the Tiwi people. His skin group is Milipurrula (White Cockatoo), and his dance is Jilarti (Brolga). He grew up in Pirlangimpi, received his education in Darwin, and returned to the Tiwi Islands in 1989. That same year, Jilamara Arts and Crafts was incorporated, and he moved to Milikapiti. Pedro has been exhibiting his works since then, and his art is featured in many national, state, and private collections across Australia and internationally.
Pedro's contemporary art practice is deeply rooted in Jilamara, or “design,” which is derived from ceremonial body painting and the ornate decoration applied to tutini poles, tunga (bark baskets), and other ritual objects made for Pukumani (mourning) ceremonies and Tiwi Yoi (dance). He exclusively uses ochres sourced from in and around Milikapiti, applying these colors with meticulous fine detail using traditional tools like the kayimwagakimi, a wooden comb made from ironwood. He explains, “The designs are already in my head, and I use the Kayimwagakimi, our traditional wooden comb made from ironwood and natural ochres from the island to paint.”
Pedro is a senior cultural leader on the Tiwi Islands with a profound knowledge of the old Tiwi language and all the songs and dances important to Tiwi culture. He holds significant positions, including Vice President of Jilamara Arts and Crafts Association and Director for Arnhem, Northern, and Kimberley Artists (ANKA). Alongside his esteemed visual art career, he has also published numerous essays on Tiwi art, culture, and ceremony.
His country, Paluwiyanga/Andranganoo (Goose Creek), is located on the eastern side of Melville Island. He describes his heritage: “The land or country where I come from is from my father’s father, my grandfather.”
Pedro's artistic journey began at Jilamara Arts & Crafts Association, where he learned from senior artists like Kitty Kantilla and Paddy Freddy Puruntatameri. He works across various mediums, including natural ochres on paper, linen, and bark, as well as print-making and carving. His carvings and paintings, characterized by refined linear geometry, draw on Tiwi parlingari (creation) narratives and the story of Purukupali, which forms the basis of the Pukumani ceremony.
His ironwood Tutini (2006) is a notable example of classical Tiwi sculpture, where reductive carving highlights the corporeal origins of the once-living tree. These designs echo the intricate face and body painting fundamental to the Pukumani ceremony, camouflaging and protecting dancers from the spirit of the deceased.
Pedro's work, including the abstract yirrinkiripwoja (pwoja body-painting designs) or jilamara, showcases endless subtle variations of Tiwi art. His paintings on paper and his etchings and lithographs blend traditional motifs with contemporary interpretations, maintaining the ethereal rhythm and formal synthesis of Tiwi culture.
Reflecting on his status as a senior artist in the contemporary age, Pedro says, “You can think back to the old days, but always remember: you’re not there yourself. It’s like a little tree that grows into a big tree. When you start to become an artist, you watch your elders, learn the songs and the dances – then you make your own way.”
Pedro Wonaeamirri's contributions to Tiwi art and culture are profound, fulfilling his obligations as a political, ceremonial, and educational leader, while continually revitalizing Tiwi tradition through his artwork.
Exhibitions:
- 2008: Trevor Victor Harvey Gallery, Sydney, Australia
Group Exhibitions:
- 2010: Pro Community – ARTKELCH – Contemporary Aboriginal Art, Freiburg
- 2010: Hunter Dreams Of – African Muse Gallery, Paris
