This painting depicts the Kalaya Tjukurrpa (Emu Dreaming) west of Kintore, where the artist was born. The Emu is walking around the landscape, eating and drinking. The kapi (water hole) that Joseph paints is in the middle of the painting. This Tjukurrpa was passed down to him from his parents who taught him how to draw it in the sand. Joseph has been painting for many years and his work depicts the travels and ceremonies of his people.
In this painting, the artist depicts the Waru Tjukurrpa (Fire Dreaming) at Watarru. Watarru is located in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands (APY Lands) in the north west of South Australia close to Kanpi, Piplitjara, Maralinga and Ochre Valley. This Tjukurrpa is from the artist’s own country at Watarru.
The Tjukurrpa tells of two Tjangala travelling from Yuendumu, Northern Territory, down South to Watarru, carrying the fire with them. Once they arrived at Watarru, they threw the fire stick on the ground and created a big hole and mountain. The two Tjangalas created everything at Watarru, afterwards they went back to Yuendumu. This is part of a big Tjukurrpa from Yuendumu, called Warlukurlangu.
The two Tjangalas left many Ngangkari (traditional healer) spirits in this place, which all the children hold. The artist often depicts these children sitting down on country with their mothers, surrounded by puli puli (rocks) and kapi (rock holes).
This painting depicts the ‘Pirrnpirrnga’ desert bore outstation near Kintore. This is her father’s Tjukurrpa and country. Pirrnpirrnga has mountains, rocks and a big rock hole, where there is always water. In the Tjukurrpa the snakes are travelling around the sand hill country, looking for water. Ann remembers visiting this country and seeing her aunty singing by those rock holes.
