Women collecting Watiyawarnu (Acacia tenuissima). Back at camp after collecting the seeds they make large windbreaks for shelter and winnow the seed in the late afternoon. Immature watiyawarnu seed is ground into a paste and can be used to treat upset stomachs. There is an important ceremony for this Tjukurrpa.
These are all different bush flowers, yellow, orange and white flowers. This one is called ‘Walka’, it is a wildflower growing in the sandhills near Titjikala.
This is a painting of women’s dreaming. This painting depicts women participating in culture and ceremony. The circles represent waterholes and the U like shapes are the women sitting down.
‘This painting is about the way women hunt Wardapi – that sand goanna. He digs holes in the dunes, makes his nest deep inside. Many of the holes all join up. Women hunt Wardapi in the dunes by digging out the holes. Sometimes cover one, and Wardapi runs out other one. Need to hunt him together. Find all the holes. Dig them at the same time. Someone going to get him that way.’
The Wardapi Jukurrpa [Varanus Gouldii Goanna] belongs to the Spencer Sisters. It comes from Yarripilangku [aka Yinyiripalangu], south-west of Yuendumu. A group of Warlpiri Karnta [women] are sitting down in a circle when a Japangardi Wati [man] from Puturlu [Mt Theo], called Wamaru came upon them. He wants to take one of them, named Yurlkurinyi, of Nungarrayi skin, which is the wrong skin for him. He takes the Nungarrayi woman up a hill, where they make love. In response, the earth on top of the hill turns to Ngunjungunju [white ochre], and yellow and red ochre. The yellow is for Karnta and the red for Wati. The ochre is used by Warlpiri people for love magic and ceremonial decoration. The Wati turns all the Karnta and himself into Wardapi, aka Varanus Gouldii goannas. This Jukurrpa belongs to the Napaljarri/Japaljarri and Nungarrayi /Jungarrayi subsections, and the Japanangka/Napanangka, Japangardi/Napangardi subsections of Puturlu. The women are often represented by ‘U’ shapes. Concentric circles may illustrate Wardapi holes, or their droppings left behind them, and Wardapi tracks are usually represented by ‘W’ shapes and wavy lines.
Tali (Sandhills) at Mutijulu. my Grandfather’s country is Mutijulu, community close to Uluru, where I have painted these Tali (Sandhills). Tali is everywhere around there, vibrant orange and red. Lots of native flowers growing on the Tali.
This is bush tucker. We got lankwa (bush banana) rratninga (bush passionfruit) bush bean, wangki (bush toimoato, and tjurrka (fig). Near to West MacDonnell ranges. Used to be Aunty taking us for bush tucker.
Thepa ilia itja alkiraka-errama. The emu does not fly.
Nturrurta is my Mum’s totem. For me we like seeing nturrurta when we go bush or somewhere in the road. They gather round in flocks and they stand really still where the spinifex grows, or even around the rocks they fly just a little bit and stand. They run around on the spinifex and the grass and suddenly when people look at them they just fly away. And they stand. around eating the grass and eating seeds.
Bush tucker this one. Little boy was picking up bush tucker. Karen’s little boy, my Gransdon. They’re going in the sand looking for mpaltjarta (wild orange).
That’s going Palm Valley bush trip with the old ladies. To do swimming, get kangaroo tail, old ladies making damper. Kids playing volleyball with net. That’s warra kuka (litle boy) with volley ball on the lid. Warra kuka like my gransdsons and their little friends.