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Ngurra Martuku

“It’s their home for them, real ngurra (home Country, camp). Real ngurra is where they been born and grow up.”

– Corban Clause Williams

Ngurra Martuku (Country for Martu).

The Western Desert term ‘ngurra’ is hugely versatile in application. Broadly denoting birthplace and belonging, ngurra can refer to a body of water, a camp site, a large area of Country, or even a modern house. People identify with their ngurra in terms of specific rights and responsibilities, and the possession of intimate knowledge of the physical and cultural properties of one’s Country. This knowledge is traditionally passed intergenerationally through family connections. Country for Martu is full of memory; not just the memory of their own movement through it, but also of their family. As summarised by Ngalangka Nola Taylor, “painting the ngurra, they do it to remember their connections.” 

Painting ngurra, and in so doing sharing the Jukurrpa (Dreaming) stories and physical characteristics of that place, has today become an important means of cultural maintenance. Physical maintenance of one’s ngurra, like cultural maintenance, ensures a site’s wellbeing, and is a responsibility of the people belonging to that area.  

Categories: Shire of East Pilbara (Martumili Artists)

Name: Pauline Williams

Language: Manyjilyjarra

Community: Kunawarritji

Biography:

"I was born in Jigalong. My Dad's Country is all around Kunawarritji rockhole. He was born at Kunawarritji well, [Canning Stock Route] Well 33. Sometimes I paint that area. My mum used to paint and I started doing the painting with her. We painted her Country, and her mother's Country; [permanent springs] Wirnpa and Yimirri, the Jukurrpa (Dreaming) stories for that Country. It's in the Percival Lakes area. I've never been there but I know those places because of painting with my mum. Both sides I do painting.

I also used to paint with my two aunties; Rosie [Mantararr (Muntararr)] Williams (dec.) and [Muni] Rita Simpson (dec.), my mother's sisters. They've got one father. They came from one Country. My mum and my auntie's painting, that's the one I'm doing now- but my style is a little bit different. 

Background I like to use reds, for the red dust. I also like to use purple. All sorts of colours! I see those colours in the Country- all the sandhills, jila (snakes), or the Country around Kunawarritji well. That area is green.

I feel proud and happy when someone buys my painting. I love painting. I come in every day. Sometimes I go to my father's Country and I do the painting there too."

- Pauline Williams 

 

Pauline Williams, daughter of renowned Martumili Artist Jugarda (Dulcie) Gibbs (dec.), is part of the new generation of Martumili Artists. She frequently paints her mother's traditional country between the Percival Lakes and Kunawarritji. Recently Pauline has exhibited as part of several award and group exhibitions, including 'Revealed Emerging Aboriginal artists from Western Australia' (Fremantle Art Centre),'The Jury Prize' (Port Hedland Courthouse Gallery), 'Cossack Art Awards' and 'Desert Mob' (Araluen Centre).


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