This artwork will be on display at the exhibition 'Echoes of Tradition' at Bluethumb's Melbourne gallery from June 28th - August 14th.
The place depicted in this painting, Nama, 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 Nama. 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 left 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.