111582159498

Published by on August 21, 2022

Ngurra

This work represents Emily Bumba’s ngurra (home Country, camp) through her father- a Mangala man from the Ngurrara (Joanna Springs) area. Traditionally Mangala speakers lived in the north-western section of the Great Sandy Desert. To the west of this area and on the Western Australian coast lies Bidyadanga community, Emily’s own birth place. As Emily states, this work depicts four soaks within her father’s Country. During the pujiman (traditional, desert dwelling) period, Aboriginal people 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 each of the hundreds of claypans, rockholes, waterholes, soaks and springs were known by name, location, quality and seasonal availability through real life experience and the recounting of Jukurrpa (Dreaming) narratives.

Categories: Shire of East Pilbara (Martumili Artists)

Name: Emily Bumba

Biography:

I was born in La Grange Mission- now it’s called Bidyadanga community. Bidyadanga means emu drinking from a waterhole in Karajarri language. Bidyadanga is home to four other tribes besides Karajarri. They came from the desert- the Mangala, Nyangamarta, Juwaliny and Yulparrija tribes. My father’s tribe is from the Ngurrara area (Joanna Springs) and his language group is Mangala. My mother’s tribe is Manyjillyjarra. She’s from the Great Sandy Desert, Kulyakartu area.

I, myself go by two ways- my mother’s and my father’s way. I am Milangka skin, my father is Panaka and my mother is Karimarra. I have six sisters including myself and one brother. I grew up in Bidyadanga and I was schooling at La Grange Remote School up until grade seven. I did my years eight to ten at Nulungu College in Broome. I did further education in Saint Mary’s school in Leederville until year twelve. I was placed in a foster house in Perth while I was schooling- I went back and forth during school holidays to be with my family.

Growing up in Bidyadanga was strict! My father was really protective of all of us- my sisters and brother. He wanted the best for us, for our education, and to have respect for our elders and for our family members. My father was working for the mission, he was a manager helping Father McKelson. Working alongside beside him was John Dodo, a Karajarri tribal elder, and Jack Malardy, also a Karajarri tribal elder. My mother was working at the bakery shop along with the other local ladies. She was also working with the nuns doing laundry and ironing and cooking for the lay missionaries.

The reason why I took up painting is because both of my parents came from the desert, the Martu and Ngurrara area. Working with the old people here at the Martumili Artists centre is giving me more connection to my mother and father’s country, because both of my parents have passed away. I feel privileged working with my elders, Wokka and Muuki and [Kanu] Nancy Taylor (dec.), my mother’s brothers and her sister in law. Their stories will continue on in my paintings.

© the artist / art centre