Awelye Body Paint | SP-1769

DOB: 1957 - 2023

Birthplace: Utopia

Language: Anmatyerre

Skin name: Mbitjana/Mpetyane



Betty Mbitjana was the daughter of the esteemed artist Minne Pwerle and the sister of artist Barbara Weir. Her husband, Paddy Club, son of Lena Pwerle, unfortunately passed away in 2012. Betty Mbitjana passed away in Alice Springs in May 2023, surrounded by her family and loved ones.

Betty painted the Awelye, Bush Berry, and Bush Plum dreaming. Her Awelye paintings depict the designs that the women would paint on their bodies and the dancing tracks created in the sand during women's ceremonies. These Awelye ceremonies serve to honour their ancestors, show respect for their land, and express their collective maternal role within the community. The designs used have been transmitted through generations and can only be painted by the Pwerle or Kemarre owners.

The paintings provide aerial views of women's ceremonies, depicting the waterholes, often located in sacred places where these rituals occur. Much of the artwork features pairs of striped breasts moving forward as the women dance, imparting a dynamic sense of movement to the pieces. Occasionally, patterns of seeds and bush plums consumed during the ceremony are also incorporated.