111582075958

Published by on

Pangkal

“Minyipuru (Jakulyukulyu, Seven Sisters), Jukurrpa (Dreaming). Start him from Roebourne, all the Minyipuru. [At] Roebourne camp[ed] all the ladies, they all sit down. That’s where Yurla found those ladies. Walk this way from Roebourne, kakarra (east), walk to Juntiwa, Pangkal. All the way Yurla follow them Seven Sisters, Jakulyukulyu, all the way. In Pangkal dancing, dancing every night, dancing naked. After dancing those Minyipuru been sleep early fella time. Every time fall asleep wake all the ladies up, that fella, naughty fella [Minyawe laughs at this point and indicates the act of sexual intercourse with his hands].

Those ladies been flying up into the sky, open [their] legs and tease that Yurla. Those ladies got tired, turn[ed] to rock to hide from Yurla. Sleep all the lot, round one. [Nyanjilpayi interjects here to say of the Pangkal area as it is today “He [they’re] not yapu (rock), he [they’re] woman, Minyipuru sleeping”.] That’s when he get down his thing [penis] and wake them up to have sex with a Minyipuru. All the ladies get up, fly up to the star[s], all the lot. Next time [they] go down [to] have a look at Juntiwa. Outside Juntiwa they landing, but he [Yurla] came behind again.”

–  Minyawe Miller, Nyanjilpayi (Ngarnjapayi) Nancy Chapman and Mayiwalku May Chapman

Pangkal is a rockhole located in the northernmost region of the Martu homelands. Nyanjilpayi camped here with her family as a teenager. As described by Minyawe, Nyanjilpayi and Mayiwalku, Pangkal also features as an important site in the Minyipuru Jukurrpa.

Minyipuru is a central Jukurrpa narrative for Martu, Ngaanyatjarra, Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara people that is associated with the seasonal Pleiades star constellation. Relayed in song, dance, stories and paintings, Minyipuru serves as a creation narrative, a source of information relating to the physical properties of the land, and an embodiment of Aboriginal cultural laws. Beginning in Roebourne on the west coast of Western Australia, the story morphs in its movement eastward across the land, following the women as they walk, dance, and even fly from waterhole to waterhole. As they travel the women camp, sing, wash, dance and gather food, leaving markers in the landscape and creating landforms that remain to this day, such as groupings of rocks and trees, grinding stones and seeds. During the entirety of their journey the women are pursued by a lustful old man, Yurla, although interactions with other animals, groups of men, and spirit beings are also chronicled in the narrative.

During the pujiman (traditional, desert dwelling) period, Martu would traverse very large distances annually in small family groups, moving seasonally from water source to water source, and hunting and gathering bush tucker as they went. At this time knowledge of water sources was critical for survival, and today Martu Country is still defined in terms of the location and type of water. Each of the hundreds of claypans, rockholes, waterholes, soaks and springs found in the Martu desert homelands is known by name, location, quality and seasonal availability through real life experience and the recounting of Jukurrpa narratives. 

Categories: Shire of East Pilbara (Martumili Artists)

Name: Nancy Nyanjilpayi (Ngarnjapayi) Chapman

Language: Manyjilyjarra

Community: Punmu

Biography:

“When I was little, I used to stand up all the time, looking for the old people to come back bringing food. The old people gave me that name, Nyanjilpayi [‘standing up’].”

- Nyanjilpayi (Ngarnjapayi) Nancy Chapman

 

"When I was born my spirit appeared at Jarntinti. That's my Country, Jarntinti. I know all about it, about that water over there, about my home, our grandparent's Country. We travelled all around as pujiman, camping and then setting off again by foot. We didn't get tired. We just kept on going. Sometimes it would rain, so we would build a shelter, just like a tent. Inside we would light a fire. Our pujiman lifestyle was very healthy and we didn't get sick very often. Even when it was cold we continued to walk around in good health.

I'm working on my painting of those waterholes, I was drinking from them long ago as a pujiman. My family's water, my grandmother's, my grandfathers and my ancestors. I was taught from them. Our knowledge is ancient and has been passed on by our grandparents. Young people need to keep looking after it."  

- Nyanjilpayi Nancy Chapman as translated by Kanyirninpa Jukurrpa

 

Nyanjilpayi is a Manyjilyjarra woman, born in the 1940s at Jarntinti, a large claypan at the southern end of Nyayartakujarra (Lake Dora) and within the Karlamilyi (Rudall River) region. She is the sister of fellow senior Martumili Artists Mulyatingki Marney, Mayiwalku Chapman and Marjorie Yates (dec.). As children, Nyanjilpayi and her family walked around the Punmu, Kunawarritji (Canning Stock Route Well 33) and Karlamilyi regions. A severe and prolonged drought extended through many years during this formative period in her life, and Nyanjilpayi remembers this as a difficult time. Although her family knew about the mission at Jigalong, where a supply of rationed food and water was assured, they chose to continue to live nomadically and independently for many years.

Both of Nyanjilpayi’s parents passed away when she and her siblings were still very young, leaving them to survive by themselves in the desert. For a time the sisters travelled alone, occasionally meeting and travelling with other people and family groups that cared for them, including renowned artists Eubena Nampitjin (dec.) and Nora Nungabar (Nyangapa) (dec.). 

Finally Nyanjilpayi and her sisters decided to walk to Balfour Downs, where they were collected by Jigalong Mission staff. At Jigalong Nyanjilpayi met her husband Minyawe Miller. From there the couple lived and worked together on several cattle stations throughout the Pilbara, and mined for minerals with a yandy (winnowing dish) whilst raising their children. As a family they relocated to Punmu Aboriginal community as foundational members during the ‘Return to Country’ movement of the 1980’s, where they lived for many years before moving between Newman and Port Hedland in more recent times.

Nyanjilpayi is one of Martumili’s pioneering artists. She is known for her energetic, diverse, and experimental approach to painting, and has developed a range of unique and technically sophisticated styles. Nyanjilpayi’s artworks depict her ngurra (home Country, camp), the Country she walked as a young woman; its animals, plants, waterholes and associated Jukurrpa (Dreaming) narratives. Her work has been exhibited widely across Australia and internationally, and acquired by the National Museum of Australia.

Related Posts

Shire of East Pilbara (Martumili Artists)

111582369155

Jintullurru Ngumpulurru – Martu Kinship ‘The four skin groups that govern Martu social structures around marriage and lore are Jangala, Karimarra, Purungu and Milamga”. Anya is Milamgka, I am Karimarra skin.  ‘Within each skin grouping there is Read more…

Shire of East Pilbara (Martumili Artists)

111582372839

Rockhole “I went on a KJ ranger trip for 3 days. The first day we slept near the water hole, the second day we went to the other water hole and the last day we Read more…

Shire of East Pilbara (Martumili Artists)

111582372837

Mulyamiji (Great Desert Skink) “I like painting because I love seeing my Grandparent paint their country and telling us about how they used to walk long distances.” – Amon Chapman Amon is painting a Mulyamiji Read more…

© the artist / art centre