"YOYI" 2020

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Jilamara Arts and Crafts Association  
Established 1989 in Milikapiti, Tiwi Islands Wulirankuwu Country, Northern Territory. 

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Martina Baxter  
Tiwi. Born 1976, Darwin. Murrakupupuni (Country): Wurankuwu/Ranku; Yimunga (Tribe): Takaringa (Scaly Mullet); Yoyi (Dance): Jarranga (Buffalo).  
  
Neil Black  
Tiwi. Born 1982, Darwin. Murrakupupuni (Country): Mirrikawuyanga; Yimunga (Tribe): Takaringini (Scaly Mullet); Yoyi (Dance): Pikipiki (Pig). 
  
Pamela Brooks  
Tiwi. Born 1958, Milikapiti, Melville Island. Murrakupupuni (Country): Mirrikawuyanga; Yimunga (Tribe): Marntupuni (House Fly); Yoyi: Pikipiki (Pig).  
  
Walter Brooks  
Tiwi. Born 1994, Darwin. Murrakupupuni (Country): Purrampunarli/Karslake; Yimunga (Tribe): Wantaringuwi (Sun); Yoyi (Dance): Kapala (Boat).  
  
Brenda Bush  
Tiwi. Born 1952, Milikapiti, Melville Island. Murrakupupuni Country- Pickataramoo (Mantiyupwi); Yimunga (Tribe): Miyartuwi (Pandanus); Yoyi (Dance): Marntipani (Seagull).  
  
Doriana Bush  
Tiwi. Born 1952, Milikapiti, Melville Island. Murrakupupuni (Country) Paluwiyanga/Andranangoo (Goose Creek); Yimunga (Tribe): Takaringa (Scaly Mullet); Yoyi (Dance): Narringari (Magpie Goose).  
  
Michelle Bush  
Tiwi. Born 1978, Milikapiti, Melville Island. Murrakupupuni (Country): Paluwiyanga/Andranangoo (Goose Creek); Yimunga (Tribe): Milipurrula (White Cockatoo); Yoyi (Dance): Narringari (Magpie Goose).  
  

Timothy Cook  
Tiwi. Born 1958, Milikapiti, Melville Island. Murrakupupuni (Country): Mananowmi/Paluwiyanga (Goose Creek); Yimunga (Tribe): Marntupuni (House Fly); Yoyi (Dance): Tartuwarli (Shark).  

Colin Heenan-Puruntatameri  
Tiwi. Born 1995, Darwin. Naringa Murrakupupuni (Country): Yarpalika/Pukulupi (Maxwell Creek); Yimunga (Tribe) Jangala (March Fly); Yoyi (Dance): Kapala (Boat).  
  
Nancy Kerinauia  
Tiwi. Born 1991, Darwin. Murrakupupuni (Country): Pickataramoor/Mantiyupwi; Yimunga (Tribe): Takaringa (Scaly Mullet); Yoyi (Dance): Tayama (Dingo).  

 
  
Raelene Kerinauia Lampuwatu  
Tiwi. Born 1962, Wurrumiyanga, Bathurst Island. Murrakupupuni (Country): Pickataramoor/Mantiyupwi; Yimunga (Tribe): Wantaringuwi (Sun); Yoyi (Dance): Yirrikapayi (Crocodile).   
  
Raylene Miller White  
Tiwi. Born 1988, Darwin. Murrakupupuni (Country): Purrampunarli/Karslake; Yimunga (Tribe): Wantaringuwi (Sun); Yoyi Dance): Yirrikapayi (Crocodile).   
  
Edwina Moreen  
Tiwi. Born 1991, Darwin. Murrakupupuni (Country): Malawu; Yimunga (Tribe): Wantaringuwi (Sun); Yoyi (Dance): Jarranga (Buffalo).  
  
Mary Elizabeth Moreen  
Tiwi. Born 1946, Milikapiti, Melville Island. Murrakupupuni (Country): Purrampunarli/Karslake; Yimunga (Tribe): Wantaringuwi (Sun); Yoyi (Dance): Yirrikapayi (Crocodile).  
  
Bernadette Mungatopi  
Tiwi. Born 1971, Milikapiti, Melville Island. Murrakupupuni (Country): Purrampunarli/Karslake; Yimunga (Tribe): Miyartuwi (Pandanus); Yoyi (Dance): Yirrikapayi (Crocodile).  
  
Gerry Mungatopi  
Tiwi. Born 1981, Darwin. Murrakupupuni (Country): Purrampunarli; Yimunga (Tribe): Wantaringuwi (Sun); Yoyi (Dance): Yirrikapayi (Crocodile).  
  
Jimmy Mungatopi  
Tiwi. Born 1985, Darwin. Murrakupupuni (Country): Purrampunarli/Karslake; Yimunga (Tribe): Miyartuwi (Pandanus); Yoyi (Dance): Yirrikapayi (Crocodile).  
  
Janice Murray Pungautiji  
Tiwi. Born 1966, Milikapiti, Melville Island. Murrakupupuni (Country): Yimpinari; Yimunga (Tribe) Tarnikina (Flying Fox); Yoyi (Dance): Tarrikarlani (Turtle).  
  

Tina Patlas  
Tiwi. Born 1968, Milikapiti, Melville Island. Murrakupupuni (Country): Mantiyupwi; Yimunga (Tribe): Pingaluwula (Stone); Yoyi (Dance): Marntipani (Seagull).  
  
Geraldine Pilakui  
Tiwi. Born 1978, Cape Fourcroy, Bathurst Island. Murrakupupuni (Country): Wurankuwu/Ranku; Yimunga (Tribe): Arinkuwula (Stone); Yoyi (Dance): Yirrikapayi (Crocodile).  
  

Aileen Puruntatameri  
Tiwi. Born 1949, Mantiyupwi, Bathurst Island. Murrakupupuni (Country): Purrampunarli/Karslake; Yimunga (Tribe): Wantaringuwi (Sun); Yoyi (Dance): Yirrikapayi (Crocodile).  
  
Barbara Puruntatameri  
Tiwi. Born 1970, Pirlangimpi, Melville Island. Murrakupupuni (Country): Yarpalika/Pukulupi (Maxwell Creek); Yimunga (Tribe): Wantaringuwi (Sun); Yoyi (Dance): Kirrilima 
(Jungle Fowl).  
  
Colleen Freddy Puruntatameri  
Tiwi. Born 1969, Darwin. Murrakupupuni (Country): Yarpalika/Kurlupini (Maxwell Creek); Yimunga (Tribe): Miyartuwi (Pandanus); Yoyi (Dance): Jurrukukuni (Owl).  
 
Marie Claire Puruntatameri  
Tiwi. Born 1992, Darwin. Murrakupupuni (Country): Purrampunarli/Karslake; Yimunga (Tribe): Wantaringuwi (Sun); Yoyi (Dance): Yirrikapayi (Crocodile).  

 
Patrick Freddy Puruntatameri  
Tiwi. Born 1973, Darwin. Murrakupupuni (Country): Yarpalika/Pukulupi (Maxwell Creek); Yimunga (Tribe): Miyartuwi (Pandanus); Yoyi (Dance): Jurrukukuni (Owl).   
  
Rachel Puruntatameri  
Tiwi. Born 1944, Milikapiti, Melville Island. (Tribe): Miyartuwi (Pandanus); Yoyi (Dance): Narringari (Magpie Goose).  
  
Irene Tipiloura  
Tiwi. Born 1974, Darwin. Murrakupupuni (Country): Taracumbi; Yimunga (Tribe): Takaringa (Scaly Mullet); Yoyi (Dance): Pika (Horse).  
  
Pius Tipungwuti  
Tiwi. Born 1954, Wurrumiyunga, Bathurst Island. Murrakupupuni (Country): Wurankuwu; Yimunga (Tribe): Arinkuwula (Stone); Yoyi (Dance): Jarranga (Buffalo).  
  
Pedro Wonaeamirri  
Tiwi. Born 1974, Pirlangimpi, Melville Island. Murrakupupuni (Country): Paluwiyanga/Andranangoo (Goose Creek); Yimunga (Tribe): Milipurrula (White Cockatoo); Yoyi (Dance): Jilarti (Brolga).  
  
Michelle Woody Minnapinni  
Tiwi. Born 1972, Pirlangimpi, Melville Island. Murrakupupuni (Country): Pupatuwu; Yimunga (Tribe): Miyartuwi (Pandanus); Yoyi (Dance): Kapala (Boat).  

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"YOYI"  2020   
four-channel video, HD, colour, sound   

Courtesy of the Jilamara Arts and Crafts Association Artists, Tiwi people, Milikapiti. The intellectual and cultural property of this work belongs to the Tiwi People and their Ancestors, through the long-standing living practice of Yoyi (Dance on Murrakupupuni Country). 
 
 
"YOYI" is a dynamic and celebratory presentation of Tiwi understandings of the body, place, performance, and more-than-human connections. The four-channel video brings together 30 artists from Jilamara Arts Centre, Tiwi Islands, who each perform a ceremonial Yoyi (Dance) on Country, near Paluwiyanga (Goose Creek), Purumpanali (Karslake), and Yapilika (Maxwell Creek).  

Adorned and painted with ochres on their body, the artists each perform the movements and gestures of their totem, which define the relationships of responsibility for ensuring ecological balance as part of water protection. Inherited through patrilineal lines, the totems depicted include animals and vessels deeply intertwined with water life. Despite appearing as individuals, the artists are rhythmically cohesive as if they are performing in unison, highlighting a palpable sense of community and the ways in which they are connected and held by land, waters, and Country.   

The artists envision this work as an extension of traditional Tiwi ceremonial practices, where visual representations of their cultural knowledge were adorned on their body and moved onto bark paintings, and now in "YOYI" are shown in moving image. The video also functions as an access point for younger generations to engage with and preserve their culture digitally. As a community-led and community-held archive, "YOYI" emits the powerful storytelling of ancient knowledge through a contemporary medium.