Mainie: Much More Than Just Beautiful Fashion Scarves

 

At Mainie, every one of our beautifully handcrafted silk scarves is an exquisite wearable art piece that transcends fashion and celebrates the world's oldest continuous living culture.

 

Founded on a commitment to support Aboriginal women artists and their families from remote communities in Central Australia, Mainie brings to life sacred Dreaming stories that have been passed down from one generation to the next over tens of thousands of years.

 

The authentic Aboriginal artwork designs featured in the Mainie Silk Scarf Collection are ethically acquired under licence from the world acclaimed Warlukurlangu art centre.

 

Established in 1987 in the former mission community of Yuendumu, around 300 kilometres north west of Alice Springs, Warlukurlangu has long been an important stronghold for the preservation of the culture and language of the Warlpiri Aboriginal people. 

 

Due to the isolation of their homelands in the Tanami Desert, the Warlpiri were among some of the last Aboriginal people in Australia to make their first contact with Europeans.

 Juka Juka: Sacred Water Dreaming Site on the Warlpiri Homelands 

 

The Warlpiri proudly maintain their traditional culture, speak their own language, and still have an immutable physical and spiritual connection to their homelands.

 

The Dreaming stories depicted in their artworks are as old as time itself and keep alive the Warlpiri culture for future generations.

 

The Mainie Silk Scarf Collection features design by esteemed Warlpiri artists:

 

• Rosina Napurrurla White: Her "Desert Country Dreaming" depicts Mikanji, a vital watercourse in Warlpiri homelands.
• Bessie Nakamarra Sims: Her "Desert Rain Dreaming," tells the story of Ngapa Jukurrpa, when a storm cloud forms from a campfire's smoke, bringing life-giving rain to the desert.
• Geraldine Napangardi Granites: Her "Medicine Tree Dreaming" (Mina Mina Jukurrpa), portrays women gathering Ngalyipi vine for ceremonies and medicine.
• Christine Nakamarra Curtis: Her "Storm Cloud Dreaming" (Ngapa Jukurrpa) captures ancestral stories with vibrant colours and patterns.
• Jeanie Napangardi Lewis: Her work, including "Women's Journey Dreaming," honours the sacred Mina Mina site and its significance to Warlpiri women.

 

Desert Country Dreaming - Rosina Napurrurla White

 

Rosina Napurrurla White is a Warlpiri Aboriginal artist whose paintings depict traditional Dreaming stories that have been handed down to her through many generations of her ancestors.

 

The place depicted in Rosina’s Desert Country Dreaming design is called Mikanji. It is an important watercourse located on the homelands of the Warlpiri Aboriginal people. 

 

The watercourse at Mikanji is usually a dry creek bed but after the annual rains, soakages are formed deep under the ground.

 

Rain is a rare event in the arid desert country and permanent fresh water sources on the Warlpiri homelands are scarce.

 

The soakages that form in creek beds after the rain are like subterranean wells. They provide a natural rainwater storage system and are a vital source of drinking water for the Warlpiri people during the long dry season.

 

Water is the essence of all life to the desert dwelling Warlpiri people. Knowing where to find water is essential to their survival in the harsh desert environment.

 

The coming of the rain season is a significant theme of many traditional Warlpiri ceremonies and stories.

 

Ngapa means water in the Warlpiri language.

 

In the Mainie Silk Scarf Collection, Rosina’s original painting, Ngapa Jukurrpa, is brought to life as our exquisite Desert Country Dreaming design.

 

Desert Rain Dreaming - Bessie Nalamarra Sims

 

Bessie Nakamarra Sims was born in the bush in the 1930s. She lived for many years on her Warlpiri homelands before first coming into contact with white people at Mount Doreen Station, west of Yuendumu.

 

Bessie was the wife of Paddy Japaljarri Sims, a renowned artist both nationally and internationally.

 

Bessie and Paddy were among the founding artists with the world acclaimed Warlukurlangu Artists Aboriginal Corporation when it was first established in 1987. Paddy passed away in 2010.

 

Bessie and Paddy had seven children and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

 

Bessie was one of the most valued members of the Warlukurlangu artists community. She painted consistently with Warlukurlangu and exhibited both nationally and internationally in group exhibitions.

 

Bessie often painted the Ngapa Jukurrpa, a traditional Warlpiri Water Dreaming story. The story tells of how smoke from a campfire formed a large storm cloud. A bird picked up the cloud and carried it over the desert country where it fell to the parched earth as rain.

 

Bessie passed away in Yuendumu in May 2012 surrounded by her extended family. Among of her last words were, "Japaljarri (my husband) is calling me, he is waiting for me."

 

Under the terms of the Mainie art licensing agreement with the Warlukulangu art centre, the royalties from the sales of Bessie’s designs continue to be paid to her family.

 

In the Mainie collection, Bessie’s original painting, Ngapa Jukurrpa, is brought to life as our exquisite Desert Rain Dreaming silk scarf.

 

Medicine Tree Dreaming - Geraldine Napangardi Granites

 

Geraldine Napangardi Granites was born in Yuendumu and has lived there all her life. Geraldine is the daughter of a well-known Warlpiri Aboriginal artist, the late Alma Nungarrayi Granites and the granddaughter of the late Bessie Nakamarra Sims. 

 

Geraldine has four children, two sons and two daughters. She is a shy person who is very involved with her large extended family and enjoys being around children and helping the family’s grandchildren.

 

Geraldine paints with the Warlukurlangu art centre and has gained a reputation as a highly talented artist who has developed a unique, modern interpretation of her traditional Warlpiri culture.

 

Geraldine paints the Mina Mina Dreaming, a story that has been passed down to her through many generations of her Warlpiri ancestors over the millennia.

 

The Mina Mina Dreaming is an important woman’s story.  It describes how the Warlpiri women journey into the desert country to gather a tree vine called Ngalyipi.

 

The rope-like Ngalyipi vine has many practical purposes in everyday Warlpiri life but it is also used by the women for their sacred ceremonies. The Ngalyipi vine is highly prized by the Warlpiri women for its healing properties.

 

In the Mainie collection, Geraldine’s original painting, Mina Mina Jukurrpa, is brought to life as our colourful Medicine Tree Dreaming silk scarf.

 

Storm Cloud Dreaming - Christine Nakamarra Curtis

 

Christine Nakamarra Curtis was born into a family of artists, which includes Kelly Napanangka Michaels, her mother, Roy Jupurrurla Curtis, her father and Alice Nampijinpa Henwood Michaels, her Aunty.

 

Christine is the eldest of seven sisters and spent most of her childhood at Nyirripi, a remote Aboriginal outstation community located 150 kilometres north-west of Yuendumu.

 

Christine attended her local school, then Yirara College, an Aboriginal boarding school in Alice Springs. Christine continued her studies at Kormilda College, an Aboriginal college in Darwin.

 

When she finished her schooling, Christine returned to Nyirripi where she worked in the community store.

 

“I love the place. I grew up here – learning from the old people.”

 

Christine began painting with the Warlukurlangu Artists in 2007 and paints her grandparent’s Dreaming on her mother’s side.

 

“I like the patterns and all those colours, and the stories. Watching family painting, they show you the Dreaming.”

 

Christine has two sons who attend the local school in Nyirripi. When Christine is not painting, she likes to take her sons hunting for bush tucker and goanna.

 

In the Mainie collection, Christine’s original painting, Ngapa Jukurrpa, is brought to life as our beautiful Storm Cloud Dreaming silk scarf.

 

Women's Journey Dreaming - Jeanie Napangardi Lewis

 

Jeanie Napangardi Lewis was born around 1950 in the remote Tanami Desert region of the Australian Outback. As a traditional Warlpiri artist, Jeanie paints Aboriginal Dreamtime stories that have been passed down through countless generations of her ancestors. Jeanie’s works are celebrated internationally, with pieces included in the British Museum Collection and exhibited in major art galleries across Australia and around the world.

 

The Mina Mina Jukurrpa holds profound cultural significance for Jeanie, as the Mina Mina country has been the homeland of her ancestors for thousands of years.

 

The Women's Journey Dreaming design is inspired by the Mina Mina Jukurrpa, which tells the tale of a group of women of all ages who embarked on a sacred journey to the east. Along their travels, they gathered food, collected 'ngalyipi' (snake vine).

 

The 'ngalyipi' vine, which grows along the trunks and limbs of 'kurrkara' (desert oak) trees, holds deep cultural and ceremonial significance. It serves multiple purposes, including as a ceremonial wrap, a strap for carrying 'parrajas' (wooden bowls) filled with bush tucker, and as a tourniquet for headaches. This sacred vine is especially revered by Napangardi and Napanangka women.

 

Inspired by the delicate colours of desert wildflowers in spring, the Women's Journey Dreaming silk scarf radiates elegance, softness, and femininity. Handcrafted from weightless, floating silk chiffon and generously sized for versatility, this exquisite wearable art piece is perfect for the stylish traveller.

 

Mainie's ethical sourcing ensures that each scarf design is licensed and respects the artists' cultural and intellectual property rights. Royalties directly benefit the artists and their families, fostering community development and cultural continuity.

 

A Mainie silk scarf isn't just a beautiful fashion accessory; it's a testament to timeless elegance and cultural richness.

 

Whether draped over shoulders, worn as a headscarf, or styled as a sarong, each piece exudes versatility and sophistication.

 

Perfect for travel or everyday wear, a Mainie silk scarf adds a touch of individual style and cultural significance to any outfit.

 

As a Supply Nation verified Indigenous-owned business and an Indigenous Art Code approved dealer member, Mainie is dedicated to promoting ethical practices and supporting Aboriginal communities.

 

Discover more about Mainie's commitment to art, culture and empowerment at Mainie.