Untitledby Walangkura Napanangka

This work depicts the mythological events of her ancestors. Her work focuses on the travels of her female ancestors, the sacred sites that they passed, and the mythological significance of the bush tucker that they collected. The designs are associated with the rock hole sites of Palturunya and Wirrulnga, east of the Kiwirrkurra Community in Western Australia.

In mythological times, one old woman, Kutunga Napanangka, passed through this site during her travels towards the east. She passed through numerous sites along the way before arriving at the permanent water site of Muruntji, south west of Mt.Leibig. These travels and rituals help to explain the current customs and the ceremonial lives of these Pintupi women.

Artist:Walangkura Napanangka
Title:Untitled
ID:IW6250
Medium:Acrylic on Belgian Linen
Size:190 x 124 cm
Region:Kintore, Western Desert

Artist

Walangkura Napanangka was born C1940 in the bush at Tjiturulnga, west of Walungurru (Kintore) in the Gibson Desert, near the Western Australia/ Northern Territory border.

Her family were amongst a group of Pintupi people who made their way to the Ikuntji settlement (Haasts Bluff) in 1956. They walked hundreds of kilometres from west of the salt lake of Karrkurutinjinya (Lake Macdonald) to access the supplies of food and water on offer at the settlement. The family returned to their homelands community of Walungurru in 1981.

Walangkura lives with her husband, artist, Johnny Yungut Tjupurrula at Kintore. Her mother, Inyuwa Nampitjinpa and sister, Pirrmangka Napanangka, both deceased were also painters. Her father was Tutuma Tjapangati. Walangkura began her painting career through participating in the historic Kintore-Haasts Bluff collaborative canvas project 'Minyma Tjukurrpa' in 1995. Her bold, strong and vibrant paintings recreate the creation stories and ceremonial sites associated with the Tjukurrpa of her Pintupi homelands.

Sabine Haider from Central Art says " its very sad and heart felt that Walangkura Napanangka has lost her sight and has not been able to paint any more."

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