Escolar Documentos
Profissional Documentos
Cultura Documentos
The Tiwi of Tiwi islands are people who lived in Bathurst and Melville islands near the
coast of Australia. The word Tiwi means one people who only speak one native language.
Pukumani means taboo to the Tiwi people. The Tiwi culture places an importance on making
sure the deceased reach the afterlife. In this paper I will be examining a ritual called the
Pukumani ceremony including the significance, duration, participants and the connection of the
The Tiwi of Tiwi islands are people who participate in a ritual act of burial called
Pukumani ceremony. The main significance of this ritual is to help the spirit of a person who is
deceased transition from the living world into the sprit world. The ritual showcases how
important dancing is for the Tiwi because during the ceremony they dance to demonstrate the
connection between them and the dead. Pukumani ceremony is a communal ceremony that
presents dance, song, traditional body painting and some sculptures. A Pukumani ceremony is
performed in months after the person who dead has been decreased and buried the ritual is
performed. In Tiwi culture a deceased person is still wandering in the living world if the
The Pukamani ceremony includes a final ceremony where a peak of ceremonies is still
performed months after the burial of the deceased. In contrast to the Pukumani theres one
ceremony for the funeral which is known as Iliana. The ceremony is performed in an area
embellished with Pukumani poles that made from many months of tedious work which are said
to be breathtaking. The importance of the poles is to exhibit the position and honor the person
who is dead held in his community. Dancers performing the Pukumani ceremony hide their
identity from the dead person spirit by disguising themselves in elaborate body painting designs.
Relatives of the deceased who are dancers wear pamajini which are decorated armbands.
Pamajini are intertwine from leaves of a plant called pandanus or screw palm which are then
embellished with ochres and the white cockatoo feathers. In Pukumani ceremony the
significance of the white cockatoo feathers is to reserve a lookout on lost spirits of the dead in
their rite of passage to an island where the dead is kept. For the Tiwi people kinship plays a
crucial part in Pukumani ceremony because the widow, the father, the mother and siblings of the
disease are compelled to dance. The ceremony is completed when the death song also called
waling sounds of the Amburu have finished the deceased gave is abandoned with the burial poles
Pukumani ceremony relates in a way to the class reading common sources of power
within indigenous religious ways by being categorized as ancestor worship. Ancestor worship
offers ceremonies like the Pukumani opportunity to provide honor for deceased family members.
Elaborate burial ceremony which include Pukumani are a source of power for the Tiwi people.
The reading for this class that relates to Pukumani ceremony is relationship with spirits
animism ancestor. The Tiwi people believed their ancestors are still roaming the living world
even after death. Honoring their status, they had in the living world helps them link their living
life which was their past to after life which is their future. In Tiwi culture lineage is known by
your ancestors.
Ideological rituals are that display the sentiments, control behavior and mood of
indigenous groups. The Pukumani is an example of a rite of passage because it follows the three
stages of separation, transition, and incorporation. Also the type of the rite of passage is death.
The phase of separation can be shown by the deceased being alienated for the first couple months
after the funeral. Also the journey that deceased has in order to reside in the living world until the
completion of the Pukumani ceremony. This ceremony showcases a transitional phase by having
a period of confusion where the deceased is still believed to be residing in the living world when
they should be in the afterlife. The phase of transition can be showed by the deceased having his
burial site decorated with embellished Pukumani poles that show off his status as a part of Tiwi
custom. The phase of incorporation can be showed by the ceremony itself and the exchange of
gifts, dancing, and immediate family being a part of the rituals also community. The gifts
exchange during the ceremony include the embellished Pukumani poles that are delicately
decorated and carved for this occasion. Dancing is incorporated by using a disguise to help keep
their identity a secret from the deceased which is in the form of body painting. The family must
In class we did a reading on religion and globalization and Pukumani ceremony is a good
example of this idea. Today the Pukumani ceremony has a merge with some Christianity
elements. One the elements include the organization of a head mourner which in Christianity
could be the priest who then is helped by other mourners also know in Christianity as deacons.
The use of white body paint showcases how Christianity because the color symbolizes faith and
purity.
I believe we should learn more about the Pukumani ceremony because its symbolizes
religion and globalization in a unexpected way which was the use of white body paint which is a
symbol for purity which is enforced heavily in Christianity. Also serves an example for scared
rituals that showcase powers and animism of an indigenous group ancestors. The Pukumani
ceremony significance helps make the connection of how important ancestors burial and the
ultimate goal of helping them achieved the afterlife. The duration of the Pukumani includes a
beginning. middle and final stage. In order for a Pukumani ceremony to occur family members
College, Tiwi. "Culture." Tiwi College. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Mar. 2017.
<http://www.tiwicollege.com/culture.php>.
Wonaeamirri, Pedro. "Burial-Pukamani, Tiwi Islands." Australian Museum. N.p., 22 Oct. 2009.