111582100831

Published by CompNet Systems on



Untitled

This work portrays an area known intimately to the artist, painted here in exquisite detail from memory. During the pujiman (traditional, desert dwelling) era one’s survival depended on their intimate knowledge of the location of resources; thus physical elements of Country, such as sources of kapi (water), tali (sandhills), and different varieties of warta (trees, vegetation) were carefully observed and remembered. Today, this relationship with Country remains equally strong, despite the movement of Martu out of the desert and into remote Aboriginal Communities, towns and cities.

Also visible may be traces of life cycles based around kalyu (rain, water) and waru (fire). A thousands of year old practice, fire burning continues to be carried out as both an aid for hunting and a means of land management today. As the Martu travelled and hunted they would burn tracts of land, ensuring plant and animal biodiversity and reducing the risk of unmanageable, spontaneous bush fires. The patchwork nature of regrowth is visible in many landscape works, with each of the five distinctive phases of fire burning visually described with respect to the cycle of burning and regrowth.  

Finally, metaphysical information relating to a location may also be recorded; Jukurrpa (Dreaming) narratives chronicle the creation of physical landmarks, and can be referenced through depictions of ceremonial sites, songlines, and markers left in the land. 

Name: Deanne Brooks


Language: Manyjilyjarra


Community: Punmu


Biography:

Deanne was born in Newman and grew up in Jigalong. When she was 15 she moved to Punmu where she finished school. She has five children and works in the Hacc helping the elderly. Deanne completed her studies to year 12 level in Punmu, and still attended school while pregnant with Shikala.

Deanne does teaching aid at Punmu helping kids at school and doing ranger trips with the kids. Shes helps out with translating for the oldies at HACC and in the art shed in Punmu. 

 


© the artist / art centre