Wardapi Jukurrpa (Goanna Dreaming) – Yarripilangu 387/23 (M)

This Jukurrpa tells the story of a Japangardi man named Wamaru who lived at Jarrardajarrayi, an area of country near Purturlu. This Japangardi man lived at Jarrardajarrayi near a soakage called Juntangkalpa. He travelled south to Yarripilangu and approached a group of ‘karnta’ (women) that were sitting down in a circle there. He wanted to woo a Nungarrayi woman named Yurlkurinyi who was the wrong skin for him. By tribal law, this woman was his mother-in-law and their relationship would be taboo.

The Japangardi man wooed the Nungarrayi woman and they went up the hill at Yarripilangu where they made love. The earth there turned to ‘ngunjungunju’ (white ochre) and the man turned himself and all the ‘karnta’ (women) into ‘wardapi’ (goannas). The Japangardi man eventually brought the Nungarrayi woman back to Purturlu to live, even though they were the wrong skin for each other.

White ochre is still found on top of the hill at Yarripilangu and is used today for love magic and for ceremonial decoration. There’s also a cave where you can see the shape of a goanna entering. There are beautiful groundwater springs on the east side of the Yarripilangu hill. A number of important Jukurrpa associated with mens’ initiation ceremonies pass through Yarripilangu; these include ‘karnta Jukurrpa’ (womens’ Dreaming), ‘ngalyipi Jukurrpa’ (snakevine [Tinospora smilacina] Dreaming), ‘wati-jarra Jukurrpa’ (two men Dreaming), and ‘witi Jukurrpa’ (ceremonial pole Dreaming).

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Sebastian Japanangka was born in 1991, in Alice Springs Hospital, the closest hospital to Yuendumu, a remote Aboriginal community located 290 km north-west of Alice Springs in NT of Australia. Sebastian was born into a long line of artists. He is the great grandson of Paddy Japaljarri Sims (Dec) and Bessie Nakamarra Sims (Dec), two of the founding artists of Warlukurlangu Artists Aboriginal Corporation. His father is Andrew Japangardi Williams, his mother is Juliette Nampijinpa Brown and his grandmother is Wendy Nungarrayi Brown. He has one sister Shanna Napanangka Williams. All respected artists working at the art centre. Sebastian has been painting with Warlukurlangu Artists Aboriginal Corporation, an Aboriginal owned and governed art centre located in Yuendumu, since 2009. He paints his Father’s Wardapi Jukurrpa (Goanna Dreaming) – Yarripilangu and his Mother’s Ngapa Jukurrpa (Water Dreaming). These stories relate directly to his land, its features and the plants and animals that inhabit it. Sebastian uses an unrestricted palette and traditional iconology that stretches back at least fifty millennia to depict his traditional Jukurrpa. Although Sebastian began painting at an early age it wasn’t until recently, while participating in community service work at Warlukurlangu Artists, that his interest in painting was renewed. When not painting, he likes working at the Art Centre, spraying and preparing metal sculptures or priming canvases for artists to paint. He also has two children, and spends time with them, having fun and watching videos together.