Pukumani Grave Posts (Tiwi burial poles)

From the Tiwi Islands north of Australia, pukumani poles are carved and painted for a second, culminating funeral rite. Natural ochres—white, red, yellow, black—form bold bands and crosshatch that encode kinship and story. Raised at the grave, the poles honor the deceased, settle obligations, and open a path for the spirit. In the museum they stand like a chorus, each a memorial and a statement of living tradition.