PAINTING STORY

Warna Jukurrpa (Snake Dreaming)

The place depicted in this painting, Ngama, is located south of
Yuendumu in the Northern Territory. This Dreaming belongs to
Nakamarra/Napurrurla women and Jakamarra/Jupurrurla men.
This story describes the journey of Yarripiri, an ancestral
‘warna’ (snake). He travelled from Wirnparrku near Mt. Liebig
to Yimparlu, and continued its way through the territories of
Ngapanangka-jarra, Warlajirryi, Kurnmundu, Yinyirrinyi on to
Ngama. Later Yarripiri travelled further north via Mijirlparnta
(Mission Creek) and right through to the top end of
Australia.Yarripiri was very sad as his family had let him
behind at Wirnparrku. He was blind and crippled but he was
determined to follow and search them out. He had to be
carried. This was the job undertaken by the ‘kurdungurlu’
(ceremonial police) of the Dreaming: the Nangala/Nampijinpa
women and Jangala/Jampijinpa men. Where Yarripiri’s tail
slumped and touched the ground creeks were formed, such as
Mijirlparnta, west of Yuendumu. Yarripiri tracks and paths are
often represented by arc shapes or curved lines depicted
across the canvas.

Artist: Melissa Napangardi Williams

GARMENT INFO

• Organically grown wild bamboo
• Loose fit
• Chest pocket
• Bamboo wood-look buttons

COMPOSITION

65%  Bamboo Fiber  35% Cotton

Care and Use Instructions: cold machine wash with like colours. Do not bleach, soak or rub

Do not tumble dry. Warm iron, Do not dry clean