The Day We Saw a Windmill, 2007

synthetic polymer paint on canvas

180 x 120 cm

Price on application — enquire

Provenance: Japingka Gallery, Fremantle, WA, Cat No. Y-LSN 1106299 Accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from Japingka Gallery
Artwork story: Linda was born in the Gibson Desert at Lake MacKay, in 1937. At the age of eight, she walked out of the desert with her family. The party consisted of her step father, Shorty Lungkata Tjungarrayi, her mother Wanala Nangala and two siblings. In 1937 Linda and her mother, stepfather and family travelled from Lake Mackay in the Gibson Desert all the way to Haasts Bluff on foot. Walking behind them was the ‘skinny old man’ the Walpiri witch doctor, who the family brought along as their medical advisor, because he knew everything about everything! They walked toward the East which meant walking up and down over the high sand hills, which ran north and south. When they got to Mount Liebig, they saw their first ‘white feller thing’. It was a windmill, built by Southern Cross Windmills . At first, the family was frightened but Shorty knew what it was because he had been working for the Army during the war. He explained to them that this whirling thing was harmless and was used for making water. So it became alright. Later on the old witch doctor caught up with them but was so tired from walking that he fell down and went to sleep without seeing the windmill. When he woke up, it was a different story. He sat up, rubbed his eyes and saw the noisy apparition standing before him. He began shouting ‘Mamu Mamu!! this is a devil spirit, come to kill us!”. He started throwing his spears at it and but they bounced off with no effect. He then threw some magic stones at it, but nothing happened. The ‘thing’ kept whirling its arms around, making a terrible noise. The poor old man then fell sobbing to the ground still muttering Mamu Mamu!! Shorty came to his side and told him not to worry that this was a good thing, made by white fellas to get water out of the ground, for animals and people to drink. He showed him the pool of water at the base of the windmill. After a little more talking he got the old man to drink from the pool and finally the witch doctor understood that this was a good thing.

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Linda Syddick Napaltjarri

c.1937 – 2021

Region: Western Desert
Community: Ikuntji (Haasts Bluff)
Language group: Pintupi; Pitjantjatjara

The Day We Saw a Windmill, 2007

synthetic polymer paint on canvas

180 x 120 cm

Price on application — enquire

Provenance: Japingka Gallery, Fremantle, WA, Cat No. Y-LSN 1106299 Accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from Japingka Gallery
Artwork story: Linda was born in the Gibson Desert at Lake MacKay, in 1937. At the age of eight, she walked out of the desert with her family. The party consisted of her step father, Shorty Lungkata Tjungarrayi, her mother Wanala Nangala and two siblings. In 1937 Linda and her mother, stepfather and family travelled from Lake Mackay in the Gibson Desert all the way to Haasts Bluff on foot. Walking behind them was the ‘skinny old man’ the Walpiri witch doctor, who the family brought along as their medical advisor, because he knew everything about everything! They walked toward the East which meant walking up and down over the high sand hills, which ran north and south. When they got to Mount Liebig, they saw their first ‘white feller thing’. It was a windmill, built by Southern Cross Windmills . At first, the family was frightened but Shorty knew what it was because he had been working for the Army during the war. He explained to them that this whirling thing was harmless and was used for making water. So it became alright. Later on the old witch doctor caught up with them but was so tired from walking that he fell down and went to sleep without seeing the windmill. When he woke up, it was a different story. He sat up, rubbed his eyes and saw the noisy apparition standing before him. He began shouting ‘Mamu Mamu!! this is a devil spirit, come to kill us!”. He started throwing his spears at it and but they bounced off with no effect. He then threw some magic stones at it, but nothing happened. The ‘thing’ kept whirling its arms around, making a terrible noise. The poor old man then fell sobbing to the ground still muttering Mamu Mamu!! Shorty came to his side and told him not to worry that this was a good thing, made by white fellas to get water out of the ground, for animals and people to drink. He showed him the pool of water at the base of the windmill. After a little more talking he got the old man to drink from the pool and finally the witch doctor understood that this was a good thing.