111582255280

Published by on

Wawul

Wawul is a spring located yulparirra (south) of Punmu Aboriginal Community, and at the southern end of Nyayartakujarra (Lake Dora), a large salt lake surrounded by tali (sand hills) and numerous springs within the Karlamilyi (Rudall River) region. Other nearby water sources include Tarl, Kartuny, Wawul, Warnkarr, Jutupa, and Kunalimpi. 

Wawul lies within Mayiwalku’s ngurra (home Country, camp), and formed part of the region she traversed extensively during the pujiman (traditional, desert dwelling) era. Mayiwalku recollects staying here as a child with her two sisters, Nyanjilpayi (Ngarnjapayi) Nancy Chapman and Mulyatingki Marney, her brother, father and three mothers. 

 

During the pujiman 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 (Dreaming) narratives.

Categories: Shire of East Pilbara (Martumili Artists)

Name: May Mayiwalku (May Wokka) Chapman

Language: Manyjilyjarra

Community: Warralong

Biography:

Mayiwalku May Chapman is the eldest sister of fellow Martumili Artists Nancy Nyanjilpayi (Ngarnjapayi) Chapman, Mulyatingki Marney and Marjorie Yates (dec.). Her mother was Warnman and her father was Manyjilyjarra. Mayiwalku was born to the East, in Yirnangarri, “where the two footprints lie”. Her family’s Country extends across the Punmu, Kunawarritji (Canning Stock Route Well 33) and Karlamilyi (Rudall River) regions. Following the death of both their parents, Mayiwalku and her sisters travelled alone between Punmu and Kunawarritji, occasionally meeting with other family groups. They later walked south into Karlamilyi, where they first saw a plane flying overhead. Petrified, they hid under spinifex grass until the plane had passed.

Following the construction of the Canning Stock Route in 1910, the family increasingly came into contact with Europeans and Martu working as cattle drovers along the route. Gradually men from Mayiwalku’s family began to work seasonally at stations around Jigalong, but as a family group they remained living in the desert long after most Martu had moved to Jigalong Mission. Finally, in 1966, following a prolonged and severe drought, Mayiwalku and her sisters made the decision to walk to Balfour Downs, where they were collected by Jigalong Mission staff.

Mayiwalku lived for many years at Jigalong Mission before eventually relocating with her five children to Warralong, a community south east of Port Hedland. She continues to live in Warralong today with her daughter and equally renowned artist, Doreen Chapman. Mayiwalku was one of Martumili’s pioneering artists, and is highly regarded for her technically sophisticated works. Her paintings depict her ngurra (home Country, camp); the Country she walked as a young woman, its animals, plants, waterholes and associated Jukurrpa (Dreaming) narratives. Mayiwalku’s 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)

111582328414

Emu Tracks to Puntawarri “Emu go to the springs to have a drink of water and then move on to the next one.” – Judith Anya Samson Puntawarri is an important cultural area, as well Read more…

Shire of East Pilbara (Martumili Artists)

111582328413

Flower After the Rain “Flower after the rain, you know- a mix. Blue, pink, yellow and purple- grow up with the grass after the rain. You can see anywhere when the burnt ground grows after Read more…

Shire of East Pilbara (Martumili Artists)

111582328412

Untitled Martumili Artists work with over three hundred artists from remote Martu Aboriginal communities, including Punmu, Parnngurr, Kunawarritji, Jigalong, Irrungadji (Nullagine), and Warralong, as well as from the Parnpajinya (Newman) gallery and studio spaces. Known Read more…

© the artist / art centre