Shire of East Pilbara (Martumili Artists)

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Pilbara Communities

The traditional lands of the Martu people encompass the Great Sandy Desert and Rudall River regions of Western Australia, and include speakers of Manyjilyjarra, Warnman, Kartujarra, Putijarra and Martu Wangka languages. Since the 1980’s Return to Country movement, many Martu have chosen to live in remote Aboriginal Communities, including Punmu, Parnngurr, Kunawarritji, Jigalong, Irrungadji (Nullagine), and Warralong. Here, Martu are able to live a life where connections to Country can be best maintained. 

Sites for modern day Aboriginal communities were designated for their close proximity to good spring water, their significance as historical and cultural sites, and for their relevance to particular family groups. Most communities contain an office, community store, school, health clinic, art shed, mechanics workshop, sports field, and areas for gathering during ceremonial events. Kuulkaja (community schools) were in many instances one of the first spaces to be established when the communities were formed. They are recognised as being at the heart of each community, and play an important role in keeping culture, Country and language strong.

Life in community is unique; the distance between communities and major centres means few outside visitors pass through, travel between communities and towns is via long 4WD journeys or on the mail plane, fresh fruits and vegetables are relatively scarce, and up until recently telephone communication was limited to a few fixed landlines and community phone booths. Whilst these communities are continually being modernised, Country remains central to community life, both physically and culturally.

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Willy Willy

The term willy willy describes small whirlwinds or dust devils, and is believed to have come from an Aboriginal language in Western Australia.

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, one’s survival depended on their intimate knowledge of the location of resources; thus physical elements of Country, such as sources of kapi (water), tali (sandhills), different varieties of warta (trees, vegetation), ngarrini (camps), and jina (tracks) are typically recorded with the use of a use of a system of iconographic forms universally shared across the desert. 

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Tuwa (Sandhills)

The traditional lands of the Martu people encompass the Great Sandy Desert and Rudall River regions of Western Australia, an enormous tract dominated by distinctive red tali, or tuwa (sandhills). These sandhills present an unforgiving landscape; sparse vegetation covers a seemingly never ending expanse of dunes, and yet these lands and the location of resources within them was known intimately by its pujiman (traditional, desert dwelling) inhabitants. At this time, Martu traversed very large distances annually in small family groups, moving from water source to water source through the harsh desert landscape with incredible stamina and resourcefulness. Travel was often undertaken at night, and when travelling during the day, Martu wore yakipiri (woven bark sandals) to protect their feet from the hot desert sand.

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Jartuti

“Jartuti water place east of Parnngurr. In pujiman (traditional, desert dwelling) days old people walked and hunted there, we went there recently with KJ (Kanyirninpa Jukurrpa) ranger mob, lovely place.” 

 – Beverley Rogers

Jartuti is a water source located close to Parnngurr Aboriginal Community (otherwise known as Cotton Creek), and is part of Beverley’s father’s ngurra (home Country, camp). The site is near to the home of the jangara (cannibal devil), spiritual beings from the Jukurrpa (Dreaming) era.

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Jartuti

“Jartuti water place east of Parnngurr. In pujiman (traditional, desert dwelling) days old people walked and hunted there, we went there recently with KJ (Kanyirninpa Jukurrpa) ranger mob, lovely place.” 

 – Beverley Rogers

Jartuti is a water source located close to Parnngurr Aboriginal Community (otherwise known as Cotton Creek), and is part of Beverley’s father’s ngurra (home Country, camp). The site is near to the home of the jangara (cannibal devil), spiritual beings from the Jukurrpa (Dreaming) era.

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Jinyjiwirrily

Jinjiwirrily (jinyjiwirrily), otherwise known as kanyjilyi (wild gooseberry, or desert raisin), is a small, prickly shrub that produces spherical yellow bush fruit. The plant occurs in the spinifex sandplains and sand dunes of Australia’s arid regions. Usually the year after fire or good rains, jinjiwirrily prolifically produces purple flowers before fruiting. The fruit is high in vitamin C content and has a taste akin to tamarillo and caramel.  It can be consumed raw when the fruit is yellow and ripe, but is generally preferred when dried like a raisin.

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. Whilst desert life has moved away from mobile hunter-gatherer subsistence throughout the course of the twentieth century, bush tucker continues to be a significant component of the modern Martu diet. Hunting and gathering bush tucker remains equally valuable as an important cultural practice that is passed on intergenerationally. Though hunting and gathering implements have been modernised, methods of harvesting, tracking and the use of fire burning to drive animals from their retreats are still commonly practiced today.

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Minyarra

Minyarra (bush onion), otherwise known as jaliirpa or jurnta, are a favoured bush tucker amongst Martu, popular for their sweet, nutty taste and for the relative ease with which they are foraged. The minyarra plant is small and grass-like, with edible tubers at the root. Between January and June minyarra is typically collected in large quantities close to springs and salt lakes, and then shared and eaten over the following days. They can be eaten raw or cooked, and are harvested by first loosening the soil at their base with a pounding stone, and then pulling out the plant. The bulbs can also be stored for up to two years. 

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. Whilst desert life has moved away from mobile hunter-gatherer subsistence throughout the course of the twentieth century, bush tucker continues to be a significant component of the modern Martu diet. Hunting and gathering bush tucker remains equally valuable as an important cultural practice that is passed on intergenerationally. Though hunting and gathering implements have been modernised, methods of harvesting, tracking and the use of fire burning to drive animals from their retreats are still commonly practiced today.

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Jartuti

“Jartuti water place east of Parnngurr. In pujiman (traditional, desert dwelling) days old people walked and hunted there, we went there recently with KJ (Kanyirninpa Jukurrpa) ranger mob, lovely place.” 

 – Beverley Rogers

Jartuti is a water source located close to Parnngurr Aboriginal Community (otherwise known as Cotton Creek), and is part of Beverley’s father’s ngurra (home Country, camp). The site is near to the home of the jangara (cannibal devil), spiritual beings from the Jukurrpa (Dreaming) era.

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Jartuti

“Jartuti water place east of Parnngurr. In pujiman (traditional, desert dwelling) days old people walked and hunted there, we went there recently with KJ (Kanyirninpa Jukurrpa) ranger mob, lovely place.” 

 – Beverley Rogers

Jartuti is a water source located close to Parnngurr Aboriginal Community (otherwise known as Cotton Creek), and is part of Beverley’s father’s ngurra (home Country, camp). The site is near to the home of the jangara (cannibal devil), spiritual beings from the Jukurrpa (Dreaming) era.

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Wirlarra (Wilarra)

Wirlarra, the site depicted in this painting, lies on the eastern edge of a large salt lake, Nyayartakujarra (Lake Dora), near Punmu Aboriginal community. A distinctive group of small salt water pools are clustered together here. The water from these pools is known for its’ powerful healing properties, and the pools are still visited today by Martu to bathe cuts and sores. 

Wirlarra is also a term for ‘moon’ in Manyjilyjarra, and through the site’s Jukurrpa (Dreaming) narrative, the site is united with the moon in significance. It is said that at Wirlarra, the moon called to a family of dingoes; a mother, father and their large litter of dingo pups. The dingoes gathered at Wirlarra, where the moon cared for them and created a windbreak for the family to shelter. Here the dingoes scratched at the surface of the salt lake and created the cluster of salt water pools located there today. They lay down there. After a time, the dingoes continued travelling eastward toward the rising moon until they reached Kinyu (Well 35 on the Canning Stock Route), where they remained until all of the dingo pups had grown up. From Kinyu the family travelled further east with the moon.