Northern Territory Government Photographer Slide Collection.,
PictureNT,
PictureNT,
Date
1983,
Location
Bathurst Island,
Description
Aboriginal women sewing Bima wear garments at the factory at Nguiu, Bathurst Island.,
Notes
Date:1983?,
Bima Wear was originally established in 1969, by Sister Eucharia of the Catholic Church Mission on Bathurst Island. The purpose was to make clothing for the locals. In 1975, Bima Wear moved to a larger building and began using the printed textiles made by the men in Tiwi Design. By 1976 fourteen women were producing 300 garments each week. Bima Wear was incorporated in 1978 and over the years has increased its turnover to 17,000 garments per year. Most of the garments were sold in the Top End of Australia. In 1982 screen-printing was introduced and garments were sold direct from the factory showroom. By the end of the 1980s Bima Wear was a successful business. In 1990 they exhibited hand-painted silks and prints on paper at the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney. Their work also travelled from 1989-90 in the touring exhibition Australian Fashion: The Contemporary Art of Dress. (Desart, 2000: 84) The fabrics produced at Bima Wear feature the: ...ancient symbols, structures, family and environmental representations which are central to their culture... The two main artists-screen-printers are Fiona Kerinauia and Theresa Munkanome. They supervise the other women and trainees in artwork, manufacturing of screens and printing. In 1987 Bima Wear designed and printed the vestments worn by Pope John Paul during his visit to the Northern Territory. (Bima Wear),