Xavier girls visit Bima Wear

Mary, Katherine, Nilusia, Dominica, Tamara

Xavier College students Mary Tipungwuti, Katherine Kantilla, Nilusia Kerinaiua, Dominica Timaepatua and Tamara Kerinaiua visit Bima Wear to show their fine sewing skills. Teacher Donna Tulloch has been teaching the students to sew as a part of their English Oral Literacy program. Bima Wear have invited the students to join us for work experience when they are ready and we’d like to see the girls be a part of the next Bima Wear generation. Well done girls!!

Bima goes bush

Bima women Noella, Rice, Lucia, Dehlia, Felicity and friends went hunting on Saturday at Arlutunga. All returned with a huge bag of mud mussels. Yum. When we arrived back at Nguiu each family was waiting with a well built fire and numbers ranging from three to twelve  family members.

Bima Wear goes digital

Click here to view a press release from Warren Snowdon refering to a grant we recently received from AusIndustry. The grant will be used to enable our design processes to be more streamlined and easier to document. Thanks AusIndustry

Bima Wear celebrates 40th Anniversary 1969 – 2009

This year marks the 40th year since Bima Wear’s inception. From small beginnings in 1969 Bima Wear went from strength to strength eventually becoming the largest employer of Tiwi. Over the years Bima Wear has endured many set backs including the unauthorised take over of their major assets, including their own building, purpose built with a Federal Govt. grant 1978 and a residential property. The Bima Wear women have remained true to their belief that they themselves can independently own and operate their business. Three existing Bima Wear staff have worked at Bima Wear since it began in 1969, they are Lucia Pilakui, Josepha Kantilla and Noreen Kerinaiua. An official function to celebrate the women and Bima Wear’s 40th Anniversary will be held later this year. We are presently looking to contact people from Bima Wears past. If you are one or know of any could you please contact us at info@bimawear.com or through our website

Bima Wear Computer Training April 2009

Backing Indigenous Ability – Computer Training with Michelle Williams and Paul Sutton
The ‘Bima Wear ladies’ have been participating in an introduction to computing course organised through ANKAAA. This training is provided to remote Communities under the Backing Indigenous Ability Program by the Department of Broadband Communications and the Digital Economy.
11 Bima staff have spent two days (16-17 April) taking photos, learning to manipulate them and make Power Point presentations. Also print and internet skills have been learnt.
The women have been enjoying this training and are looking forward to the next sessions later in May.

Dehlia, Tom & Josepha

Link to video of our workshop

Below is another link to the Bima Wear workshop based on the Tiwi Islands, where we produce hand printed Tiwi fabrics. This footage is from 2008 and shows Josie Tipungwuti covering a statue for World Youth Day in Tiwi designed and printed fabric which was then shipped to Sydney for display at Randwick Racecourse.

http://www.abc.net.au/australiawide/stories/2008/200806/s2283147.htm

NITV visits Bima Wear Ladies

CLICK HERE for www.bimawear.com

CLICK HERE to see a video of Bima Wear as seen on NITV 26 Jan 2009

NITV's Natalie Ah Mat at Bima Wear Tiwi Islands

Natalie Ah Mat from National Indigenous TV News visited Bima Wear yesterday 25th January 2009.
Photo from left:Lucia, Marita, Natalie, Greta and Noella.

We’re Live! Bima Wear Website Launched!

Hi all and welcome,

Today we launched our new e-Commerce website. You can now shop online for all your favourite Bima Wear products.
CLICK HERE for www.bimawear.com Thanks to everyone involved. Hope to hear from you soon.

The Bima Wear Ladies

Bima return to Womadelaide 2009

Vicki painted up for WOMAD 2008

Last February 2008 we travelled over six days by coach from Darwin to Adelaide to attend WOMADelaide as guest visual artists. We are due to return in March 2009 to follow up with a stall. We’ll have our trademark  Tiwi fabrics, skirts, shirts and many other items. We look forward to seeing you all there again.
CLICK HERE for www.bimawear.com
http://www.womadelaide.com.au/archive/2008_site/line_up/visual_arts/pwanga.html  http://www.womadelaide.com.au

Christmas cheer and Crystal

Link to www.bimawear.com

Crystal arrived early to help prepare for our Xmas/end of year get together

CRYSTAL LOVE

Vicki, Dehlia and Margaret Rose

Felicity and Crystal

Crystal and Antoinette