Item X 81272 matjka | Ornament, chest. Milingimbi, Eastern Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia. pre 1959

Summary

This distinctive string ornament is called matjka and was made for young girls in Arnhem Land to wear when they reached puberty. Women also wore them in ceremony. The overwound sections is worn on the back and the loose strings are crossed over the chest. These are also made with feathered string. Young boys would also wear these at dhapi or circumcision ceremonies.

Local Name

matjka

Physical Description

An ornament made of multiple strands of vegetable fibre string. One half is overwound with string and painted with natural pigments; and the other consists of two sets of strings.