Sacred board "tjuringa" ("churinga", "tjurunga"), late 19th century

Description

wood, pigments,

“Tjuringa” are still mysterious today, and the meaning of the linear engravings is difficult to decipher.

They can refer to myths and fabulous beings from the Dreamtime, parts of the landscape (water points, rocks, trees), animals and people, as well as their footprints / paths / journeys. Like a map, the engraved drawings could be a process for memorizing features of the landscape and having reference points for surviving in this semi-desert area.

“Tjuringas” belong to individuals or groups with associated Dreamtime legends, chants and ceremonies. In earlier times, only initiated men were allowed to see or touch the sacred objects. They were kept in a sacred place that was off-limits to non-initiates and women and were only visited when the ritual required it.