Women's Ceremony & Bandicoot Dreaming | SP-2404

DOB: c. 1956

Language: Warlpiri

Skin name: Nakamarra

Community: Willowra, NT




Doreen is a traditional Warlpiri woman from Willowra Community which is approximately 250km Northwest of Alice Springs. She comes from a family who is well-known for their art, including her sister, Janet Long Nakamarra and Mother, Nora Long Napanangka.

Born in 1956 on her family's traditional homelands, Doreen was thoroughly immersed in her culture and traditions from an early age. Her skin name is Nakamarra, and the Nakamarra women are renowned artists who have significantly contributed to the Australian Aboriginal art movement in the Central and Western Desert regions of Australia. The art produced in these areas is deeply connected to the land and reflects the Dreamings, culture, and traditions of the local groups.

Doreen's artworks frequently depict women's ceremonies and business, as well as her Ngurlu ('Damper Seed Dreaming'), which utilizes a fine dotting technique in black and white, resulting in striking and complex compositions. Doreen is innovative in her artistic approach, incorporating traditional Aboriginal iconography and symbols in her Women's Ceremonies paintings while offering bold interpretations of body paint designs used during significant ceremonial activities.