Ngapa Jukurrpa - Mikanji


Ngapa Jukurrpa Mikanji

The country associated with this part of the Ngapa Jukurrpa is Mikanji. Mikanji is a watercourse that is usually dry found to the west of Yuendumu. In this creek bed there are Mulju. The custodians of this Dreaming are the men of the Jangala and Jampijinpa skin groups and the women of Nangala and Nampijinpa skin groups. The Dreaming travelled from Puyurru, north west of Yuendumu to a Mulju in the Mikanji creek. By the side of the soakages two old blind women of Nampijinpa skin group were sitting. A rain ancestor travelled to Mikanji from Puyurru and unleashed a huge storm. As the two women strained their eyes to see the sky tears formed in their eyes creating the rain. Their spirits can still be seen at Mikanji today in the form of two Ngapiri (River Red Gums) growing near the soakage.

Motifs frequently used to depict this Dreaming story include concentric circles representing Mulju and short bars depicting Mangkurdu (Cumulus and Stratocumulus Clouds).

Aboriginal word glossary