Mani Luki Wommatakimmi

Mani Luki, also known as Harry Carpenter, was a master Tiwi artist born around 1914 on Melville Island into the Northern Territory. A skilled carver, his work reflected his deep commitment to Tiwi cultural practices and ancestral storytelling. Mani Luki's early influences came from his family, including his father, Joe Wommatakimmi, and his brother, Young Brook Aurriemantarri Wommatakimmi, both accomplished carvers. Influenced by Macassan and Timorese traditions, Mani Luki bridged cultural boundaries while preserving Tiwi heritage. In his 1960s work, he created some of the most iconic sculptures of Purrukuparli and his wife Bima, establishing his enduring legacy as a cultural custodian and one of the greatest carvers of his generation. Mani Luki and other Tiwi sculptors occasionally produced busts of ancestral figures, exemplified by his portrayal of the first Tiwi woman Bima (or Wai-ai). His work demonstrated remarkable technical skill—he cast a startled expression on Bima's face and often included minimal distinctions between male and female forms, using subtle details like decorated breasts and chiselled facial features, particularly the wearing of false beards for ceremonial purposes, to identify specific ancestral figures. He passed away in 1980, leaving a significant legacy in Tiwi sculptural traditions.

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Mani Luki Wommatakimmi

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