That’s my Grandmother at Lilla Outstation. Dawni, (my mother), Dawni’s sister, Dawni’s mum, me and my sister, not Karen, another one. That’s all of us at Lilla when I was young, sitting round campfire, talking story at night time. My sister, my niece was staying with me there, long time.
Urlpaartja is yellow and black and green. He likes sitting round when theres a tree with seeds. They come flying and they make noise when people sitting down. They maybe just say that they coming for seed. They love eating seed – and they like that sour thing paddymelon, and yaarka (prickles), seeds that they can crack open with their mouth. And sometimes they sit on the nest, sitting on the trees. They just came out from maybe nesting. And the little titjiritjirra (willy wagtail) beside them, he tells that this is the nesting time for the urlpaatja and they say they been travelling from long way and just passing through, sharing the news.
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. In the middle of the painting is the dreaming story.
‘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.
This is at Two Mile, My Country. Going to visit with the kids and camping out. This is me and my little family sleeping and talking stories under the stars. This is where we used to go with my Mum and Dad and all the family. Sleeping next to the water and looking at the stars, the moon, having good weekend. And there’s two owls talking in the night. Maybe waiting for the frogs to eat.
That’s my Aunty digging for yalka (bush onion). My Mum Dawni there too. They camping long way and looking for aylka. That’s all the little tent.
This Sandhill in Ntaria my house. I was sitting down in the house. That’s my house, orange one. Playing card, eating ngkurpla (bush tobacco), waiting for pottery bus with my neighbour Judith. Talking about making pots or something.
Rehla mapala kama errpmagka-errpmangka (all the Western Aranda people they hunt for bush medicine). Bush medicine for rubbing, rub ‘im ilkaarta wulhama (when you feeling pain). And when you have cough drink it like tea and rub it.
Ntatha kngarranga, arra ntira kngarra nama. In springs, the red kangaroos are fat.
Little yellow, green and grey honey eaters, come up to the windows and play, they are always by themselves, but they must have a friend nearby.