Gladdy laughs as she tells us about the joyous women's ceremonies where the Senior Women 'sing in' the younger women. They adorn their bodies in ochre designs and dance to the rythym of clapping sticks.

‘At dusk each day, women begin the verses of the song cycle that tell of the Ancestor coming to that place. The song ‘brings’ the power closer, with each verse naming the country or plants and telling of incidents on the way. Women paint their upper bodies with ocher during this phase and sing and ‘dance’ the Ancestor along. These Ancestors may appear as super-powerful humans or in the form of animals such as honey ants or snakes.’

An extract from Spirit Country by Jennifer Isaacs.