A striking abstract by Molly Pwerle, age 90, where lines are symbolic of dancing lines, body paint and the essence of all that encompasses Awelye.
In northern Utopia there is an ancestral place called Anthep meaning 'dance', that is the most significant site on Atnwengerrp country. Here, women paint their bodies, dance, sing and pay homage to their country. As they dance, they stir up the dust and the earth, creating lines that are firmly imprinted in the rocky ground.
- Body Paint Exhibition Excerpt
When the women sing for ceremony, their songs relate to the dreamtime stories of ancestral travel, dance and other totemic plants, animals and natural forces. In performing these ceremonies the women ensure well-being within their communities.
Anthep is an ancestral place that remains the most significant site on Atnwengerrp country. Awelye is still performed there. It is also a place where everyone - men, women and children can meet together and camp, and a place where permanent water can be found.
