377815582393336
Untitled
377815582393335
Untitled
377815582393334
Nyangumarta Warrarn (Country)
This painting represents the rocky outcrop and all the different areas of claypans, and the dark area represents all the jurnga (sands) in the cool time, warri (translation needed). All the light yellowish colour represents the paru (spinifex).
I like to go out working with the rangers and all the elders, I go out Country with them and they show me all the places, all mapped out with GPS. We mark out all the other places for next time. Sometimes I go out in the rangers vehicle and walk around the country and look around for goanna holes. We try to keep an eye on the animals, [monitoring them,] look out for all the bilby and skinks and everything with the Nyangumarta rangers. I go in my spare time because I’m busy you know, I’m busy with my artwork and council meetings.
In the cool dry time, when it’s a little bit warm, and cool in the morning, that’s when we do the fire patch burning. When we doing it also depends on the wind, the warngal, which way its blowing. We do that because it’s a big part of controlled fired. Wild fires, we don’t want them, they destroy the animals and their living area, destroy the Country. We do it too for the regrowth. When I went back to Country a couple of weeks ago, all the burned up area had a little bit of regrowth after a little bit of rain.
377815582393333
Untitled
377815582393332
Untitled
377815582393331
Nyurnma (burnt country)
This painting is about the landscape, bushfire (waru), and bush foods. Seeing the difference after the waru burns, it leaves some patches on the ground, and when the regrowth of the bush plants come back to life, it leaves a mark.
Well, I learnt that story from my grandmother—going out bush, learning about the different sides of burning. Talking about before burning and after burning, and how people go hunting after burning, looking for goanna. Teaching the younger generation where and when to hunt for goanna.
I learnt painting from my grandmother (Nola Taylor) and my grandfathers (Muuki Taylor, Wokka Taylor) by going out on Country, sharing stories, and learning from them about bush plants and bush food. I painted before, but going to Parnngurr and being around old people really opened my mind—seeing them paint and the colours they used. My daughter started painting with the old people too, and now she watches me paint their stories. I’d like to be an inspiration to her and to young people.









