YILPINJI: LOVE ART AND CEREMONY (2002 - 2003)
In collaboration with Christine Nicholls & The Australian Art print Network
Exhibited at various venues throughout Australia, the United States and Europe.
This collection of beautiful prints by Aboriginal artists explores the visual tradition relating to Yilpinji, the love arts, and ceremonies practised by Warlpiri and Kukatja people of the Central and Western Deserts of Australia. The 21 participating artists from Balgo Hills, Lajamanu and Yuendumu attended workshops organised by master printmakers, Theo Tremblay, and Basil Hall as part of a major undertaking coordinated by Adrian Newstead on behalf of the Australian Art Print Network, which acted as the publisher. The story of the love art, and the legends and landscapes which pertain to them, were beautifully related by Dr. Christine Nicholls in her accompanying publication. They covered areas of kinship, courtship, unlawful relationships, ceremonial body decoration, art, poetry, song, and narrative.
This exhibition, which was officially launched at the Australian Museum, Sydney, travelled to venues throughout Australia, the United States and Europe.
Artworks in the Collection
Ronnie Lawson Jakamarra
Women’s Dreaming
This is an important male Yilpinji (love magic) story. All women, despite their devotion to the land they grow up in, must forsake this country and once marries go with a man of the right skin group and adopt his country. The artist has shown a Jakamarra man and his Napaljarri partner as U shapes with their genitals protruding in the centre of the image. The woman is surrounded by digging sticks. The man is shown at the top of the image with his shield. They are both travelling from the south to the north. The woman wants to go toward her own country. Her desire to travel east is shown at the bottom of the image. However, the travelling lines are not connected to her destination indicating that the man is preventing her from returning to her country. She must go with him to his own country as indicated by the travelling path shown on either side of the image. He tells her, ‘If you go that way, you will have to travel with another man of the wrong skin group.’
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medium
Screenprint: Opaque paint on four acetatesedition size
99collaborator/platemaker
Basil Hallprinter
Simon Whitestudio
Basil Hall Editions, Darwin NTacetates created at
Lajamanu, July 2002print published
Darwin NT, January 2003paper
Magnani Pescia 300gsmpaper size
760 mm x 560 mmimage size
640 mm x 480 mmAAPN ID #
RL004
Bai Bai Napangarti
Love Magic Ceremony Design for Ngaanjatjarra
Bai Bai, a senior law person responded to the theme, Love/Magic/Ceremony, by producing three images on linoleum, which have been integrated into a single print in sequence from top to bottom. The top section represents Ngaanjatjarra her grandmothers country, which is located south west of Balgo in the Great Sandy Desert, where she lived and hunted as a young woman. The Tjukurrpa story for this place tells of some wicked young men who came here far from the west. The old woman responsible for this country wove a long hair belt central to the top panel image, and used it to tie them up. . The second central panel is a series of brightly coloured stripes representing the various coloured fat, feathers, sand and material ephemera used in important ceremony here. These lines also represent the tali or sand hills which dominate Bai Bai’s country. The third panel ia another image of Nganjatjarra showing the elongated soak surrounded by tali or sand hills. In a second level of meaning it depicts women participating in a ceremony around a dance field representing the soakwater. Sand hills radiate out in the surrounding country.
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medium
Screenprint from linoleum blocksedition size
99printer
Theo Tremblaystudio
Editions Tremblay NFP, Bungendore ACTlino blocks created
Warlayirti Artists, June 2002print published
June 2003paper
Magnani Pescia 300gsmpaper size
760 mm x 560 mmimage size
760 mm x 560 mmAAPN ID #
BN003
Rosie Tasman Napurrurla
First Love
The woman makes a Majardi , love belt, and sings her love spell in to it. She knows that once her man puts the belt around her waist he will think of himself as her lover. The woman brings it for the man to put around her waist. She takes up her digging stick and her lover grabs his shield and they run away together in to the bush. They light a fire and lie alongside one another as boy friend and girl friend. The people of the tribe gather looking around the bush for the lovers. They run away but are seen traveling along together as a couple.
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medium
Screenprint: Opaque paint on four acetates in two versions (black and red ochre backgrounds)edition size
99collaborator/ platemaker
Basil Hallprinter
Simon Whitestudio
Basil Hall Editions, Darwin NTacetates created at
Lajamanu NT, July 2002print published
Darwin NT, November 2002paper
Magnani Pescia 300gsmpaper size
760 mm x 560 mmimage size
680 mm x 480 mmAAPN ID #
RT015
Eubena Nampitjin
Nakarra Nakarra I - Seven Sisters Dreaming
‘Nakarra’ is a familiar, abbreviated, or intimate version of the Kukatja kinship term, “Nakamarra”, a female ‘skin’ (kin) name that is often used as a form of address. It is also a children’s form of the skin name Nakamarra. Plurals in the Kukatja language (and in Warlpiri) are sometimes formed by reduplication, ie simply by doubling the singular version of the noun/nominal. Hence ‘Nakarra Nakarra’ implies more than one girl or woman, who all share the skin-name ‘Nakarra’. In this particular instance there are seven girls/women with the same skin-name Nakarra. They are sisters.
The Nakarra Nakarra Dreaming or Seven Sisters narrative exists in many forms and permutations throughout Indigenous Australia. At the core of the narrative are the Seven Sisters, Creator Beings who move around country, creating natural phenomena and involving themselves in ceremonial life, including “young men’s business” or initiation ceremonies. A man who has ‘got the hots’ for these gorgeous young women is chasing them across the country, meaning that the girls are endlessly on the run, trying to escape his unwanted amorous advances. This man is in the “wrong skin” relationship to the sisters and therefore is not a suitable marriage partner for them under Kukatja law. In fact such a union would be considered incestuous and therefore very wrong. The man’s pursuit of these nubile young women is permanently “engraved” onto the night sky itself in the form of the cluster of stars known in English as The Seven Sisters. The Seven Sisters (the Nakarra Nakarra) are forever destined to flee this lustful, immoral man, a kind of bogeyman figure who seeks physical gratification for his uncontrolled, transgressive sexual love. While he never catches them and never fulfils his illicit desires by having his way with them, the sisters can never rest.
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medium
Original Screenprintedition size
99printer
Theo Tremblay assisted by Barak Zeligstudio
Editions NFP, Bungendore NSWacetates created at
Warlayirti Artists, Balgo Hills WA, June 2002print published
Bungendore NSW, June 2003paper
Magnani Pescia 300gsmpaper size
760 mm x 560 mmimage size
700 mm x 530 mmAAPN ID #
EN002
Eubena Nampitjin
Nakarra Nakarra II - Seven Sisters Dreaming
This is another version by Eubena Nampitjin of Nakarra Nakarra II Seven Sisters Dreaming. There are many interesting things about this Tjukurrpa or Dreaming narrative. For instance, in terms of cross-cultural crossovers, interestingly enough in Greek mythology this cluster of brilliant stars is also thought to comprise seven sisters, believed to be the seven mythical daughters of Pleione and the legendary Atlas. Another is the fact that it reveals Indigenous people’s detailed knowledge of astronomy as well as the strict moral codes within which they operate. There are many different versions of this Seven Sisters Dreaming narrative throughout Aboriginal Australia that are sung and painted – for example, the story and artistic representations of it extend as far south as the Ngarrindjeri people of the River Murray in South Australia. This particular Kukatja version encapsulates classic Yilpinji elements wherein people derive a kind of guilty pleasure at the “wrong skin union” but only as a kind of spectator sport that is ultimately condemned and socially outlawed in no uncertain terms. Furthermore, in the case of the Nakarra Nakarra Dreaming based near Wirrimanu (Balgo) Western Australia, women have particular rights and responsibilities in relation to the narrative and paintings whereas in some other Australian Indigenous societies others may have greater custodial rights. Balgo-based ceremonial leader Eubena Nampitjin provides a fine example of the Nakarra Nakarra Tjukurrpa in her work.
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medium
Original Screenprintedition size
99printer
Theo Tremblay assisted by Barak Zeligstudio
Editions NFP, Bungendore NSWacetates created at
Warlayirti Artists, Balgo Hills WA, June 2002print published
Bungendore NSW, June 2003paper
Magnani Pescia 300gsmpaper size
760 mm x 560 mmimage size
420 mm x 360 mmAAPN ID #
EN003
Abie Jangala
Rainbow Men
The artist was, until his death, the most senior Warlpiri man for this Jukurrpa (Dreaming). The Rain story and that of the old women are interrelated and provide the scenario for many Yilpinji (love magic songs). Abie’s image shows body adornment designs used to represent Ngapa (water, rain). Pairs of parallel lines representing clouds surround two rainbows (ling wavy lines). Amongst their neighbours, the Kayetj people these symbols represent the two Rainbow Men. Diane Bell, in her seminal book, ‘Daughters of the Dreaming’, explains that in the narrative the wise rain father, known as Junkaji, attempts to restrain his overly pretentious sons the Rainbow Men. The boys come in to conflict with their older brother, Lightning, while pursuing young girls to whom they are incestuously related. Rain’s wife, the mother of the boys, finally lures them from the dangers of their exploits by feigning illness. Their duty to their mother overwhelms them and they return at the insistence of their father, only to die. Important themes of father/son authority flouted and mother duty/devotion/destruction are all revealed through the recounting of this Dreaming. During ritual re-enactment the Rainbow Men embody the alluring attributes that can make a woman leave her own country despite her fierce attachment to it and follow her man far away to his own land. In ceremonies such as these, men imitate the sparkling, bedazzling qualities of the Rainbow Men by wearing shiny belt buckles or carrying pieces of broken glass, which shimmer and reflect the sun. These are qualities that attract women during ceremony just as women cover themselves in red ochre rubbed into animal fat so they themselves glisten and radiate good health in order to attract a man.
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medium
Etching: Sugar lift painting and aquatint on one plate; embossing on second plateedition size
99collaborator/platemaker
Basil Hallprinter
Matthew Ablittstudio
Basil Hall Editions, Darwin NTacetates created at
Lajamanu NT, July 2002print published
Darwin NT, June 2003paper
Hahnemuhle 350gsmpaper size
560 mm x 760 mmimage size
240 mm x 640 mmAAPN ID #
AJ009
Abie Jangala
Katinpatimpa
This print was made from the mark the artist made on an etching plate while telling the narrative story, which took place at Thompson’s Rockhole in the Tanami Desert. The artist was just three weeks from the end of his life and unable to paint any longer. The marks are exactly as he made them as if drawing in the sand while telling an epic tale. Katinpatimpa was a Jangala, Two women fell in love with him at Thompson’s Rockhole where they were living. The women were both Nungarrayis and their father was a Japaljarri. That Japaljarri gave his daughters to Katinipatimpa. The Jangala married them both, both of the Nungarrayi’s daughters. The Rainman, Ngapa, came and hit him with lightning. Ngapa chased him and struck him, he broke a leg. Katinpatimpa came back and took his two women to a Mulju (a soakwater). That Mulju was called Yantukumanpa. Ngapa caught up with him there while he was digging for water. The two Nungarrayis told Katinpatimpa to get up and go. Ngapa chased him all the way back to Thompson’s Rockhole. He put him in the water. They fought fiercely. Katinpatimpa kept moving as he fought all the way to Woolambi. Ngapa killed him there. He had deep marks across his body from the boomerangs that hit him and the spears that pierced his skin. He turned in to a stone at that place. That stone is there to this day.
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medium
Etching: Sugar lift painting and aquatint and a la poupee inking on two platesedition size
99collaborator/platemaker
Basil Hallprinter
Matthew Ablittstudio
Basil Hall Editions, Darwin NTacetates created at
Lajamanu NT, July 2002print published
Darwin NT, June 2003paper
Hahnemuhle 350gsmpaper size
560 mm x 760 mmimage size
540 mm x 740 mmAAPN ID #
AJ010
Elizabeth Nyumi Nungurrayi
Kantil Kantil
Elizabeth, when asked about Love/Magic, depicted her father’s country known as Parwalla. It is located far to the south of Balgo in the Great Sandy Desert, west of the community of Kiwirrkurra. The landscape of the area is dominated by tali or sand hills. Parwalla is swampy, filling a huge area with water after the wet season rain. These wet season rains result in an abundance of good bush tucker. Depicted here is kantjilyi, or bush raisin surrounded by tali or sand hills. Both men and women collect bush raisins with each other. It is an activity said to bring men and women together. The bush raisin is high in protein and is thought to have beneficial healing properties for women’s complaints.
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medium
Screenprintedition size
99printer
Theo Tremblay assisted by Barak Zeligstudio
Editions Tremblay NFP, Bungendore NSWacetates created at
Warlayirti Artists, Balgo Hills WA, June 2002print published
Bungendore NSW, June 2003paper
Magnani Incisioni, 300gsmpaper size
560 mm x 760 mmimage size
335 mm x 500 mmAAPN ID #
EN001
Helicopter Tjungurrayi
This Place My Country
Helicopter has painted some of his traditional country, which is located far to the south west of Balgo, in the Great Sandy Desert. This country is centred around Jupiter Well and is dominated by tali or sand hills. “These lines made by wind are tali (sand hills). Kurli, good wind, brings warm weather. Not rubbish wind, yalta (cold wind), maybe kill babies and old people. Lovely time of year, birds everywhere, everything growing, boys and girls running amok. This soak, living water, we call yinta, really full up when rains come. These white stones, mawuntu, special place; ceremony place.”
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medium
Hand wiped and rolled eight colour relief printedition size
99printer
Theo Tremblay assisted by Barak Zeligstudio
Editions Tremblay NFP, Bungendore NSWblock created at
Warlayirti Artists, Balgo Hills WA, June 2002print published
Bungendore NSW, April 2003paper
Magnani Pescia, 300gsmpaper size
760 mm x 560 mmimage size
760 mm x 560 mmAAPN ID #
HT001
Judy Martin Napangardi
Madjardi - Hairstring Pubic Belt, Women’s Love Magic
Amongst the Warlpiri women and men share many rituals, customs, Dreamings and practices involved in Yilpinji, Love Magic. This print by important Warlpiri artist Judy Napangardi Martin shows women (U shapes) making Majardi, Love Magic Hair Belts. Having fallen in love the girl goes to her female relatives and is instructed on how to attract her man as a lover. She weaves a belt while singing Yilpinji songs imbuing the belt with magic. When the man approaches she entices him with her charms until he comes under the influence of her allure. She reveals the belt as his ardour grows and persuades him to place the belt around her waist. As he does he falls under her spell and they go off together in to the long grass to make love. Once their love is consummated they walk off into the bush together as a couple. The important tribal members, on learning of their tryst follow them and confront them as a couple. In this way the tribe recognises their relationship and acknowledges that it is an appropriate match. They are now recognised by all as a couple.
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medium
Screenprint: Opaque paint on three acetatesedition size
99collaborator/ platemaker
Basil Hallprinter
Basil Hallstudio
Basil Hall Editions, Darwin NTacetates created at
Lajamanu, July 2002print published
Darwin NT, November 2002paper
Magnani Pescia, 300gsmpaper size
760 mm x 560 mmimage size
680 mm x 485 mmAAPN ID #
JM006
Judy Watson Napangardi
Love Story
At Mina Mina women were living and having women’s ceremony also at Warlpalpa (soakage water) The Napangardi/Napurrurla women were weaving Jirnjirla (White/feather) around their head. The old man named Jarlkirjarlki Jakamarra who was watching them from his country Munyuparnti-parhti, near Mt Dennison. So he went up to them and took them towards the east. Jakamarra took them to a place called Yalankirri that is in Alawarri Country. The Jakamarra was singing love songs for them and so he left them at Yalankirri, while he was singing he made the ladies put their hands behind their backs. The ladies stopped at this place called Yalankirri forever and Jajamarra Jarlkijarlki came back to Munyuparnti-parnti. Before Jakamarra man took the women east the women made a big wee at Munyuparnti partni and they made a big hole in the ground and this hole is called Munypartni, partni and in this story also the Jakamarra man was rubbing his hand on his private parts so he could have all the women to himself
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medium
Screenprint: Opaque paint on seven acetatesedition size
99collaborator/ platemaker
Basil Hallprinter
Simon Whitestudio
Basil Hall Editions, Darwin NTacetates created at
Warlukurlangu Artists, Yuendumu May 2002print published
Darwin NT, November 2002paper
Magnani Pescia Black, 300gsmpaper size
760 mm x 560 mmimage size
760 mm x 560 mmAAPN ID #
JW006
Lily Hargraves Nungarrayi
Liwirrinki Dreaming
The Liwirrinki (burrowing skink; lerista species, squamata order) called Wamarru was a Japangardi from a place called Manceo West of Yuendumu. Wamarru had fallen in love with Yulgrin, a Nungarrayi. She was from the wrong skin group. She had been singing him. So Japangardi, he had been travelling to the place where the Nungarrayi lived. Wamarru turned into a man and made some bush string and then a love belt.He put on his belt and sang that Nungarrayi, Yulgrin. He made love to that Nungarrayi woman and took her back to his country. Two men made a big bush fire for the two Liwirrinki (lover-boy and lover-girl) who ran away together. The print shows women, (U) shapes, sitting in a group performing the ceremony for this story with a ceremonial digging stick in the centre. The male and female goanna ancestors are also depicted. It should be added that all male reptiles of the squamata order including burrowing skinks, have two penises and that this particular skink already had a ‘wife’ at the time he had this sexual encounter with his new ‘girlfriend’.
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medium
Etching: Sugar lift painting and aquatint on two platesedition size
99collaborator/ platemaker
Basil Hallprinter
Basil hall assisted by Natasha Rowell and Jo Diggensstudio
Basil Hall Editions, Darwin NTplate created at
Lajamanu NT, July 2002print published
Darwin NT, March 2003paper
Magnani Pescia 300gsmpaper size
760 mm x 560 mmimage size
490 mm x 320 mmAAPN ID #
LH001
Liddy Nelson Nakamarra
Yumurpa - Big Bush Potato Dreaming
This print and Liddy’s other Bush Potato print titled ‘Wapatali’ together depict the epic battle between the big bush potato and the little bush potato. It is a metaphor for how the Warlpiri people learnt to live in harmony with one another. When reading these two stories it is important to understand that the men are the big bush potatoes and the women are the little bush potatoes. They existed as people during the creation time but also represent plants, and an important food source, each of which competes for space in the harsh desert environment. The Jupurrula and Jakamarra men (father’s and son’s) fight with men of the same skin groups from a different tribe over women who are depicted in Liddy’s other ‘Bush Potato’ print. The women are of the Napurrula and Nakamarra skin groups, Sisters and daughters to the men, and mothers and daughters to each other. The women bring the little bush potato to the men as food. While the full story is a narrative battle that took place during the creation period referred to as the Dreamtime, it is also a major ceremony, which is re-enacted to this day in Warlpiri culture.
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medium
Etching: sugar lift painting, aquatint and a la poupee inking on one plateedition size
99collaborator/ platemaker
Basil Hallprinter
Basil hall assisted by Natasha Rowell and Jo Diggensstudio
Basil Hall Editions, Darwin NTplate created at
Lajamanu NT, July 2002print published
Darwin NT, March 2003paper
Magnani Pescia 300gsmpaper size
760 mm x 560 mmimage size
490 mm x 325 mmAAPN ID #
Liddy Nelson Nakamarra
Wapurtarli - Little Bush Potato
This is an important Jukurrpa (Dreaming) performed ritually in ceremony by men and women of the Nakamarra, Jakamarra, Jupurrurla and Napurrurla skin groups. The song is closely associated with Yilpinji songs amongst these skin groups. The bush potato is a major food source and a very important Dreaming for the Warlpiri people. This print and Liddy’s other Bush Potato etching titled ‘Yumurrpa’ tell the story of two important sites in Warlpiri country. The story tells of a big fight amongst men and how the women help settle the fight and restore harmony to the tribe. It is a morality tale that dictates Warlpiri behaviour and obligations toward one another and the language group. This harmony is exemplified by how the two types of tucker now grow on the bush potato plant. These are Wapurtarli (the little potato) and Yumurrpa (the big potato). Women (U shapes) are shown digging for yam with their coolamon dishes and digging sticks. They bring little bush potatoes to the others. The bush potato plant is shown with its roots extending outwards.
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medium
Etching: sugar lift painting, aquatint and a la poupee inking on one plate
edition size
99collaborator/ platemaker
Basil Hallprinter
Natasha Rowellstudio
Basil Hall Editions, Darwin NTplate created at
Lajamanu NT, July 2002print published
Darwin NT, February 2003paper
Hahnemuhle 350gsmpaper size
760 mm x 560 mmimage size
490 mm x 330 mmAAPN ID #
LN008
Lucy Yukenbarri Napanangka
Punyarnita
This print and its companion Purnyarnita II depicts some of Lucy’s country far to the south of Balgo, in the Great Sandy Desert. This country is known as Punyanita and is named for the soakwater, or tjurrnu, featured in the centre of the painting. Tali, or sand dunes dominate the landscape of the area, while purra (bush tomato), tjunta (bush onion) and karnti (bush potato) are commonly found here. The small dots depict the variety of these foods. The U shapes represent women performing ceremony to ensure the bush foods will remain abundant and maintain their strong connections with country.
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medium
Original Screenprintedition size
99printer
Theo Tremblay assisted by Barak Zeligstudio
Editions Tremblay NFP, Bungendore NSWacetates created at
Warlayirti Artists, Balgo Hills WA, June 2002print published
Editions Tremblay NFP, Bungendore NSWpaper
Magnani Pescia, 300gsmpaper size
760 mm x 560 mmimage size
750 mm x 550 mmAAPN ID #
LY001
Molly tasman Napurrurla
Wild Bush Plum Dreaming
Amongst the Warlpiri, women and men share many rituals, customs, Dreamings and practices involved in Yilpinji, Love Magic. This print shows women (U shapes) making, Majardi, Love Magic Hair Belts. Having fallen in love the girl goes to her female relatives and is instructed on how to attract her man as a lover. She weaves a belt while singing Yilpinji songs imbuing the belt with magic. When the man approaches she entices him with her charms until he comes under the influence of her allure. She reveals the belt as his ardour grows and persuades him to place the belt around her waist. As he does he falls under her spell and they go off together in to the long grass to make love. Once their love is consummated they walk off into the bush together as a couple. Together they eat bush plums and hunt for food. Other important Warlpiri, on learning of their tryst, follow them and confront them as a couple and also eat bush plumbs. In this way the group recognises their relationship and acknowledges that it is an appropriate match. They are now recognised as a couple.
-
medium
Original Screenprintedition size
99printer
Theo Tremblay assisted by Barak Zeligstudio
Editions Tremblay NFP, Bungendore NSWacetates created at
Warlayirti Artists, Balgo Hills WA, June 2002print published
Editions Tremblay NFP, Bungendore NSWpaper
Magnani Pescia, 300gsmpaper size
760 mm x 560 mmimage size
740 mm x 540 mmAAPN ID #
Paddy Sims Japaljarri
Yanjirlpiri
Yanjirlpiri, meaning ‘star’ in Warlpiri is the place for this Dreaming. There is a collection of rock clusters there, which are stars that came down to earth to rest on the ground. It is an important place for initiation ceremonies and part of this Jukurrpa or Dreaming is closely associated with secret sacred business. Seven Dreamtime Napaljarri women (known astrologically as the Pleiades) are being pursued by a Jakamarra man (the Morning Star in Orion’s belt). The women travelled from Purrpala to Yaripilangu and onto Kurlunyalimpa near Yanjirlpiri. Here in a final attempt to escape the Jakamarra they become fire and ascend to the heavens to become stars. They can be seen in the night sky today, forever just out of reach of the Jakamarra. This Dreaming belongs to Japaljarri and Jungarrayi men and Napaljarri and Nungarrayi women and much of it cannot be disclosed to the uninitiated. This is another version (a Warlpiri one) of the Nakarra Nakarra Dreaming of the Kukatja people.
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medium
Two plate colour etching with sugarlift aquatint, aquatint and burnishingedition size
99collaborator/ platemaker
Basil Hallprinter
Basil Hall and Natasha Rowellstudio
Basil Hall Editions, Darwin NTplates created at
Warlukurlangu Artists, Yuendumu NT, July 2002print published
Darwin NT, May 2003paper
Hahnemuhle 350gsmpaper size
560 mm x 760 mmimage size
325 mm x 490 mmAAPN ID #
PS002
Lucy Yukenbarri Napanangka
Punyarnita II
This print and its companion Purnyarnita I depicts some of Lucy’s country far to the south of Balgo, in the Great Sandy Desert. This country is known as Punyanita and is named for the soakwater, or tjurrnu, featured in the centre of the painting. Tali, or sand dunes dominate the landscape of the area, while purra (bush tomato), tjunta (bush onion) and karnti (bush potato) are commonly found here. The small dots depict the variety of these foods. The U shapes represent women performing ceremony to ensure the bush foods will remain abundant and maintain their strong connections with country.
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medium
Original Screenprintedition size
99printer
Theo Tremblay assisted by Barak Zeligstudio
Editions Tremblay NFP, Bungendore NSWacetates created at
Warlayirti Artists, Balgo Hills WA, June 2002print published
Editions Tremblay NFP, Bungendore NSWpaper
Magnani Pescia, 300gsmpaper size
760 mm x 560 mmimage size
750 mm x 550 mmAAPN ID #
LY002
Paddy Japaljarri Stewart
Ngarlu Jukurrpa – Love Story I
The site of this Jukurrpa (Dreaming) is Ngarlu, a pirli (rock hill) south east of Yuendumu. It is where a Jungarrayi man fell in love with a Napangardi woman: A taboo relationship under the Warlpiri skin group system (his mother-in-law). Japaljarri and Jampijinpa men were travelling east to Kurpurrulu. A Jungarrayi man called Lintyipilinti watched a woman from where he sat whilst she was urinating. He was so impressed with what he saw that he decided to woo her. His imprint has been left in the rocks which reminds the people of his thinking. Whilst he was sitting at Yumurruluwanu he spun some wirriji (hair string) and sung a love song. He also sent a bird to the Napangardi woman with the magic to entice her. When the two met at Ngarlu they made love and as a result of the taboo relationship were turned to stone. They are seen in flagrante delicto in two conjoined rocks at Ngarlu. A broken bolder close to a long water hole reminds people of this union.
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medium
Etching: Sugar lift painting, deep bite, aquatint and relief roll on two platesedition size
99collaborator/ platemaker
Basil Hallprinter
Matthew Ablittstudio
Basil Hall Editions, Darwin NTplates created at
Warlukurlangu Artists, Yuendumu NT, May 2002print published
Darwin NT, April 2003paper
Hahnemhule 350gsmpaper size
760 mm x 560 mmimage size
490 mm x 325 mmAAPN ID #
PS003
Paddy Japaljarri Stewart
Ngarlu Jukurrpa – Love Story II
The site of this Jukurrpa (Dreaming) is Ngarlu, a pirli (rock hill) south east of Yuendumu. It is where a Jungarrayi man fell in love with a Napangardi woman: A taboo relationship under the Warlpiri skin group system (his mother-in-law). Japaljarri and Jampijinpa men were travelling east to Kurpurrulu. A Jungarrayi man called Lintyipilinti watched a woman from where he sat whilst she was urinating. He was so impressed with what he saw that he decided to woo her. His imprint has been left in the rocks which reminds the people of his thinking. Whilst he was sitting at Yumurruluwanu he spun some wirriji (hair string) and sung a love song. He also sent a bird to the Napangardi woman with the magic to entice her. When the two met at Ngarlu they made love and as a result of the taboo relationship were turned to stone. They are seen in flagrante delicto in two conjoined rocks at Ngarlu. A broken bolder close to a long water hole reminds people of this union.
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medium
Etching: Sugar lift painting, deep bite, aquatint and relief roll on two platesedition size
99collaborator/ platemaker
Basil Hallprinter
Matthew Ablittstudio
Basil Hall Editions, Darwin NTplates created at
Warlukurlangu Artists, Yuendumu NT, May 2002print published
Darwin NT, June 2003paper
Hahnemhule 350gsmpaper size
760 mm x 560 mmimage size
490 mm x 325 mmAAPN ID #
PS004
Rosie Tasman Napurrurla
Grass Seed Dreaming - Bush Grain - Ngurlu I
This story is for the Naparrula and Nakamarra women (mothers and daughters and Jupurrula and Jakamarra men (fathers and sons) skin groups. The print shows ant nests interconnected with the tracks of the ants as they collect grass seeds to turn in to milk for their baby ants. Kulukuku, the bush pigeon, also gathers grass seeds that have fallen to the ground while the women gather seeds from the long stems and use them to make damper. This Dreaming takes place near the Granites in the Tanami Desert at a place called Miya Miya.
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medium
Screenprint: Opaque paint on six acetatesedition size
94collaborator/ platemaker
Basil Hallprinter
Basil Hallstudio
Basil Hall Editions, Darwin NTplates created at
Lajamanu NT, July 2002print published
Darwin NT, November 2002paper
Magnani Pescia 300gsmpaper size
760 mm x 560 mmimage size
705 mm x 495 mmAAPN ID #
RT013
Rosie Tasman Napurrurla
Grass Seed Dreaming - Bush Grain - Ngurlu II
This story is for the Naparrula and Nakamarra women (aunts and nieces) and Jupurrurla and Jakamarra men (fathers and sons) skin groups. The painting tells the Jukurrpa or Dreaming story about the women following the tracks of the bush pigeon, Kurlukuku, in order to find and gather grass seeds. The pigeon gathers the seeds that have fallen to the ground while the women gather seeds from the long stems and use them to make damper. The seeds were collected in coolamons and taken home to be sorted ready for grinding. The ground seeds are then ready to be made in to damper. The elongated oval shapes in the centre of the print represent coolamons in which the women are collecting the stems and grains. They also represent the dampers the women are cooking. Along the outside Rosie has depicted trees and clap sticks that are partially obscured by the design. These music sticks are used when Rosie sings and dances this particular Dreaming during ceremony. The song is sung by the men and the women. This Dreaming takes place near the Granites in the Tanami desert at a place called Miya Miya.
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medium
Line etching: Several drypoint prints of this image were made prior to the plate being etchededition size
99collaborator/ platemaker
Basil Hallprinter
Natasha Rowellstudio
Basil Hall Editions, Darwin NTplates created at
Lajamanu NT, July 2002print published
Darwin NT, November 2002paper
Hahnemhule 350gsmpaper size
760 mm x 560 mmimage size
330 mm x 495 mmAAPN ID #
RT014
Susie Bootja Bootja Napangarti
Kaningarra
During the Tjukurrpa (Dreaming) a man and woman were travelling around this area which is located, at the top of the Canning Stock Route. They stopped in the country known as Kaningarra to dig a hole for water, where a permanent spring now exists. The two people are shown as the U shape. They are shown camping by the spring. Surrounding them is the abundance of tjunta, or bush onion, which can be found in this region today. The arch shapes along the edges are tali, or sand-hills, which dominate the landscape of the area. The iridescent colours reflect the sky, the white and black stones and the colours of the sand hills as the late afternoon advances toward sundown.
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medium
Original Screenprintedition size
99printer
Theo Tremblay, Bruce and Betty Clarkestudio
Editions Tremblay NFP, Bungendore NSW in association with Select Screen Prints, Queanbeyan NSWacetates created at
Warlayirti Artists, Balgo Hills WA, June 2002print published
Bungendore NSW, June 2003paper
Magnani Pescia 300gsmpaper size
760 mm x 560 mmimage size
760 mm x 560 mmAAPN ID #
SB020
Samson Martin Japaljarri
Ngarlu Jukurrpa - Love Story Dreaming
Ngarlu is country belonging to the Anmatjerre language group south-east of Yuendumu. The Jukurrpa of this place tells of a Jungarrayi man, named Lilipinti, who is travelling west to another country for Kuridji, men’s ceremonial business. As the Jungarrayi men travelled he saw a Napngardi woman, his mother-in-law according to the Warlpiri kin system and therefore forbidden to him as a wife or sexual partner. Linjipirlingirnti watched the woman from where he sat whilst she was urinating. He was so impressed with what he saw that he decided to woo her. His imprint has been left in the rocks, which reminds the people of his thinking. He had weapons and a parraja (coolamon or wooden water carrier). Lilipinti fell in love with this woman. When he arrived back home to Ngarlu he couldn¹t stop thinking about her. A Jurlpu (bird) carried his loves songs over to the Napangardi. The Jurlpu (bird) flew back with the Napangardi on his wings, to join with the Jungarrayi at Ngarlu. The people of Ngarlu gossiped about this wrong-skin love union. These people turned into Miinypa, native fuschia flowers, which are prevalent at Ngarlu today. When Lilipinti and his Napangardi made love, his penis broke off in side of her and they both turned to stone. They are seen in the rocks at Ngarlu, a long water hole with a broken boulder reminds the people of this union. Wapunungku, a big tree was crying. That tree is still there today. The kirda (owners) for this Jukurrpa are Japaljarri and Jungarrayi men and Napaljarri and Nungarrayi women.
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medium
Etching: Sugar lift painting and aquatint on two platesedition size
99Collaborator/platemaker
Basil Hallprinter
Basil Hall and Natasha Rowellstudio
Basil Hall Editions, Darwin NTplates created at
Warlukurangu Artists, Yuendumu NT, May 2002print published
January 2003paper
Hahnemuhle 350gsmpaper size
760 mm x 560 mmimage size
325 mm x 490 mmAAPN ID #
SM042
Teddy Morrison Jupurrurla
Kulukuku - Wild Bush Pigeon
‘This man here Yimarrimarri, a Jakamarra from Yarwalga, did not want to marry his promised girl. He was in love with two sisters from the wrong skin group. They were Nungalas (He not only wanted one classificatory mother in law – he wanted two!). The older one already had two children. When the time came for the Big Business he started to sing this song as he walked away from his people. Jakamarra was singing all the way carrying his shield looking for the two Nungala women with whom he wanted to make love, even though it was wrong way. ‘No worries’ he said. He gathered some bark and made some bush string rubbing the bark on his thigh as he sang. From the string he made a love belt, a Majadri. He put on the dance belt and sang and danced to charm the two women. He found some tracks of the two Nungalas and followed them walking on their tracks. He was cracking rude, sexy jokes and kept singing and dancing all the way. He saw where they had been making wee wee and where they had been sitting. He kept tracking them a long way. He crossed Kurungku, the land of the Kulukuku, the little pigeon with the red eye. He saw the big wild pigeon in Walamurrulu, further to the west. He sings their songs, the songs of their country. He walked all the way up to Duck Pond, or Kulangalimpa. There the two Nungala women heard them singing. They said ‘he must love us’. He made love to both of them and took them back to his country.
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medium
Etching: Sugar lift painting and aquatint on two platesedition size
99Collaborator/platemaker
Basil Hallprinter
Natasha Rowell and Matthew Ablittstudio
Basil Hall Editions, Darwin NTacetates created at
Lajamanu NTprint published
Darwin NT, May 2003paper
Hahnemuhle 350gsmpaper size
760 mm x 560 mmimage size
490 mm x 230 mmAAPN ID #
TM001
Teddy Morrison Jupurrurla
Wamparna - Bush Wallaby
This story is about married men and women traveling. They travel all the way from Yuendumu in the South, along Mission Creek, which is an important Dreaming site. Wampana starts travelling from Wirnparrku on the way to Ngama. Wampana has been travelling carrying a big Warna, snake. That snake is called Yarranji. They cut him and carry him all the way. All the way they dance together, men and women. They tie up bushes and make Witi poles. They tie the bushes together with Ngalyipi (snake vine), bush string and make the poles for ceremony. The Wampana men and women dance around the poles all the way along their travels as far as Darwin.
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medium
Screenprintedition size
99collaborator/platemaker
Basil Hallprinter
Simon Whitestudio
Basil Hall Editions, Darwin NTacetates created at
Lajamanu NT, July 2002print published
Darwin NT, May 2003paper
Magnani Pescia 300gsmpaper size
760 mm x 560 mmimage size
690 mm x 400 mmAAPN ID #
TM002
Tjama (Freda) Napanangka
Wati Kutjarra
The artist has depicted part of the story for the Wati Kutjarra Tjukurrpa or Two Men Dreaming, in the country south of Balgo. The central shapes are the two brothers sleeping by their fire in country called Yayarr. The Wati Kutjarra Tjukurrpa is an immensely significant story for a number of Indigenous Australian groups. In their ancestral journeyings, these Two Goanna Men traversed a very large expanse of land including that of the Warlpiri, Pintupi, Kukatja, Walmajarri and Ngardi peoples, as well as even further afield, through the Pitjantjatjara lands. The story arose as a result of the lawlessness of a lustful old man of the Tjungurrayi skin group who lived with many women with whom he had sexual relations, regardless of whether or not they were in the ‘right’ kinship affiliation. Whenever boy children were born to any of his wives, Tjungarrayi would order the babies to be killed. By ordering the deaths of the boys, Tjungarrayi was clearly getting rid of potential sexual competitors. Eventually two baby boys were born at around the same time, to two of Tjungarrayi’s many wives. The two young mothers defied their husband, taking the two babies far away from where the group was camped, to a place obscured by a large sandhill, where first they breast-fed their infants and then later, clandestinely smuggled food for the children to eat. The two boys thrived, growing to healthy manhood, all the time plotting to take their revenge on their father. The print is a visual depiction of an event which takes place much later in the Wati Kutjarra Dreaming sequence, when the two young men are fully grown. After some time the two, who by now were young men, put their plan into action. They visited their father’s brother, another Tjungarrayi, who lived some distance away and managed to convince him that their father intended to prey upon and steal that particular brother’s wives.
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The brother, outraged, crept up on the boy’s father and, at close range, threw a boomerang at him with great force, almost fatally wounding the man, who did however manage to retaliate, eventually killing his brother. This sequence of events, or this “original sin”, if you like, acts as a catalyst for a further whole chain of significant Dreaming events. The narrative also acts as a moral template, in which the importance of observing marriage laws is stressed. In oral versions, for example that of Peggy Rockman Napaljarri, the depiction of the transgressor’s punishment for breaching the Law figures prominently. As a result, the two sons (or Two Goanna Men, now the Dreaming Ancestors for so many Indigenous peoples), took off, travelling over great tracts of desert country, going in and out of the ground at various places, creating natural phenomena, and drinking from rockholes and soakages and leaving traces of their presence in the landforms. As Lee Cataldi has written, the sons ‘become the culture heroes of a whole cycle of myths concerning the Two Men. A major sequence of the Two Men centred around a place called Yaka Yaka which includes typical culture hero activities as teaching people to use fire and and cook their food’. Apart from the fact that there is not one baby boy, but two, later to become the ‘Two Men’ of this Dreaming, there are a number of uncanny parallels in this Dreaming to the story of Moses in the Christian Bible, and some echoes of the Oedipal drama as well.
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medium
Linocutedition size
99printer
Theo Tremblay assisted by Barak Zeligstudio
Editions Tremblay NFP, Bungendore NSWblock created at
Warlayirti Artists, Balgo Hills WA, June 2002print published
Bungendore NSW, November 2002paper
Magnani Pescia 300gsmpaper size
760 mm x 560 mmimage size
600 mm x 500 mmAAPN ID #
TN004
Tjumpo Tjapanangka
Boy’s Initiation - Wati Kutjarra
Tjumpo Tjapanangka’s print tells some of the story of the Wati Kutjarra, a prominent Dreaming in the Tanami and Great Sandy Deserts. The Wati Kutjarra were two ancestral brothers who travelled large areas of the Central and Western Deserts teaching ancestral people about food, fire and hunting. This print depicts the travels of the Wati Kutjarra to Wilkinkarra (Lake Mackay). The two oblong shapes represent the two brothers where they lay down to sleep and the impressions they left behind are seen in the country today. The central circle depicts the fire they lit that morphed into a rockhole. At either end of the painting, wuungku or wilytja (protected area or windbreak) made of spinifex are depicted. These protect the men during ceremony. This print represents an important men’s ceremony, the details of which cannot be disclosed.
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medium
Screenprintedition size
99printer
Barak Zeligstudio
Editions Tremblay NFP, Bungendore NSWacetates created at
Warlayirti Artists, Balgo Hills WA, June 2002print published
Editions Tremblay NFP, Bungendore NSW, July 2003paper
Magnani Pescia 300gsmpaper size
1000 mm x 700 mmimage size
800 mm x 540 mmAAPN ID #
TT007
Uni Martin Nampijinpa
Wayipi Story
Wayipi* is a plant creeper that grows along the ground, looking a little like a bush yam. Nampijinpa and Nangala women are shown as U shapes looking around for the Wayipi. They have with them parraja (coolamons or wooden food carrying dishes) and karlangu (digging sticks). The Jukurrpa (Dreaming) narrative for this print is about Jungarrayi, a Japangardi man, who travelled through country around Wanapiyi, a big hill just South West of Yumendumu. In this area he chased a number of Nangala and Nampijinpa women who were digging for Wayipi (Bush Carrot). The Japangardi man followed those women and tried to reach them in a cave where they were hiding. He managed to grab one of the women for his wife. Japangardi is shown in the painting, also as a U shape, he has his karli (rounded boomerangs) and kurlarda (spear).
* Boerhavia diffusa
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medium
Etching: Sugar lift painting and aquatint with la poupee inking on two platesedition size
99collaborator/ printmaker
Basil Hallprinter
Natasha Rowellstudio
Basil hall Editions, darwin NTplate created at
Warlukurlangu Artists, Yuendumu NT, May 2002print published
Darwin NT, April 2003paper
Hannemunule Creampaper size
760 mm x 560mmimage size
490 mm x 325 mmAAPN ID #
UM001