Yankirri Jukurrpa
This Emu Dreaming comes from Ngarlikurlangu country, north of Yuendumu in Central Australia. The Yankirri travelled to the rockhole at Ngarlikurlangu to find water. This Dreaming story belongs to the Jangala/Jampijinpa men and the Nangala/Nampijinpa women of Warlpiri country. In contemporary Warlpiri paintings traditional iconography is used to represent the Dreaming, associated sites and other elements. Emu's are usually represented by their footprints - arrow like shapes that show them walking around Ngarlikurlangu eating bush raisin. In the time of the Dreaming there was a fight at Ngarlikurlangu between an Emu ancestor and the Australian Bustard ancestor over sharing the bush raisins. There is also a dance for this Dreaming that is performed during initiation ceremonies. |
Aboriginal word glossary
