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, Read more…
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 Read more…
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 Read more…
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 Read more…
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 Read more…
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 Read more…
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 Read more…
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 Read more…
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 Read more…
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, Read more…