The last nomads

05.09.08 | by Sabine Haider

This is a spectacular image of the nine pintupi men and women that emerged from the desert in October 1984. Thomas, Walala and Warlimpirrnga Tjapaltjarri,...

This is a spectacular image of the nine pintupi men and women that emerged from the desert in October 1984.

Thomas, Walala and Warlimpirrnga Tjapaltjarri, now famous artists, were amongst the group. Central Art recently launched a new exhibition Tjapaltjarri Brothers - The last nomads featuring work from these brothers.

The following quote is from the News Ltd file:

OCTOBER 31, 1984 Nine Pintupi speakers who made national headlines on their first contact with white Australia. The Pintupi nomads walked out from their traditional homelands in the Western Desert following the death of a tribal elder. They left remote country west of Lake MacKay to walk into the small community at Kiwirrkura just inside the Western Australian border. The hair of the tribal women is cropped short as a sign of mourning.