Betsy Lewis Napangardi

Betsy Lewis was born in the bush at Kunajarryi, west of Yuendumu in central Australia.. She moved to Mt. Doreen Station with her family when she was quite young, and was brought up by Paddy Japanangka Lewis. She went to school in Yuendumu and has lived there ever since, with sojourns in Nyirripi, a neighbouring community

She started painting in 1999 and has participated in a large number of group exhibitions and one jointly with Judy Watson. Betsy passed away in February of 2008.

Central Art has removed the photograph of the artist to be respectful of Aboriginal culture.

Naming of Aboriginal people who have passed on traditionally, this meant avoiding referring to the dead person by name directly after their death as a mark of respect — and also because it is considered too painful for the grieving family. Today the practice continues in many communities, but has also come to encompass avoiding the publication or dissemination of photography or film footage of the deceased person as well. (The 2008 film 'Australia', like many Australian television programs, includes a title card warning Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders to 'use caution viewing this film, as it may contain images or voices of dead persons,' presumably out of respect for the cultural beliefs of said viewers.)

The person can still be referred to in a roundabout way, such as, "that old lady", or by their generic skin name, but not by first name. In some Central Australian communities, if for example, a lady named Alice passes away, that name must be avoided in all contexts, so even Alice Springs needs to be referred to in conversation in a roundabout way (which is usually fine, as the Indigenous name can be reverted to). Those of the same name as the deceased are referred to by a substitute name during the avoidance period — Kuminjay is used in the Pintubi-Luritja dialect.

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