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Kulyakartu

“Long time ago I been there. It is my grandmother’s, grandfather’s, father’s, [and] mother’s country, Kulyakartu.  I am painting this particular place. It keeps me connected, [gives me a] sense of belonging [to] tell my grandmother’s story through my art.  Where she was born, I’m a part of that. 

It makes me feel proud painting.  Most important is telling the story behind the painting so people can understand where I am coming from.  Kulyakartu is our ngurra (home Country, camp).  I will continue telling the story through my art.”

– Derrick Butt

This painting depicts Kulyakartu, Derrick’s ancestral ngurra (home Country, camp). Kulyakartu is a large area in the far north of the Martu homelands, near the Percival Lakes region of Western Australia’s Great Sandy Desert. Kulyakartu is mostly flat grass Country, and is known as a good hunting area. In particular, parnajarrpa (goanna), wild cats, and lunki (witchetty grub) are found in abundance here. In the wantajarra (wet season) the dry lakes in the region fill with water.

Categories: Shire of East Pilbara (Martumili Artists)

Name: Derrick Butt

Community: Parnngurr

Biography:

“I ask the brother to my grandmother, and I was asking them where my grandmother born and which Country, so I could paint it. And they told me some stories and I started painting, because my grandmother left his country when he was young and didn’t manage to get back to his Country. So I wanted to paint like part of his history, as his grandson, to tell people where my grandmother’s born, and which Country.

One day I went to Perth on the plane. And I saw the Country – I was on the window side - and I saw the Country, how different it looks when you’re walking on the land to when you’re in a plane looking down, so that gave me an idea, and that’s how I created my art. And I love painting bird’s eye view, like looking down on Country.

Sometimes you can see the land is not always brown and black. I like mixing my colours, brighter colours. That’s how I see the land, looking down on it. And people love my paintings, and how I do art. And I feel blessed that people love my art, and this is my story through my grandmother. She’s not around but I can carry her story, carry his legacy through my art.”

 - Derrick Butt

Derrick was born in Derby in the Western Australian Kimberley, but moved to Purngurr Community in the Pilbara region at a young age to stay with his grandmother’s side of the family. He began sketching in school at Parngurr, soon developing a strong love of art, and then learning to paint. In his late teens he moved to Newman where he started to paint again, and began to showcase his work through Martumili Artists. 

Derrick’s work depicts the site of Kulyakartu in his grandmother’s Country. Kulyakartu is located in the far north of the Martu homelands, near the Percival Lakes region of Western Australia’s Great Sandy Desert. Kulyakartu is mostly grass Country where there is very good hunting. In particular parnajarrpa (goanna), wild cats, and lunki (witchetty grub) are found in abundance here. 

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