Lydia Burak

Born: c.1937
Skin: Japajapunga – Marchfly
Dance: Jarrikarlani – Turtle

Lydia Burak (nee Tippakilippa) paints for Munupi Arts. Munupi Arts & Crafts Association is located along Melville Islands north-western coastline at Pirlangimpi (Garden Point) and is the most recently formed art centre on the Tiwi Islands. In 1990 the Yikikini Women’s Centre and Pirlangimpi Pottery were incorporated under the name Munupi Arts and Crafts Association giving local artists an opportunity to proudly celebrate Tiwi culture through both traditional and contemporary mediums.

Since her youth, Lydia has made and sold traditional baskets, painstakingly woven from the dried fronds of the pandanus plant. She has won prizes at Darwin exhibitions for her woven baskets and floor mats.

Lydia has a rare specialist knowledge of the naturally occuring dyes used to colour the pandanus fronds used in the weaving. In the late 1980’s Lydia took up carving ironwood, making tungas (bark baskets) and bark painting. Since 2000, Lydia has also produced works on paper and canvas, favouring natural ochres.

In early 2008 Lydia suffered a stroke which has left her partially paralyzed on her left side, she is still continuing to enjoy her work in the art centre and producing exciting new works.

Artworks