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After the Burn
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. 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. Ned acknowledges the Martu cycle of burning and regrowth and its relationship to the individual. First is nyurnma (freshly burnt Country), which is depicted here, followed after the rains by waru-waru, when young, bright green plants start to grow. Nyukura occurs between one and three years after burning, when plants have matured and are fruiting and seeding. Manguu is four to six years post burning, when spinifex has matured to the point that it can be burned once again. Finally, kunarka signifies the time when spinifex and other plant species have become old growth and pose a risk of destructive bushfires. “The spinifex has been cleared because of the fire and it is settled now – the grass has been burnt and it’s settled”. – Ned Booth Ned’s work celebrates the aesthetic of nyurnma (freshly burnt Country) and the process of life coming back to country. Through his work, the intrinsic value of country is showcased, by our remarkably diverse flora and fauna and it’s ability to come back to life after the Martu cycle of burning.
