Theresa Napurrurla Ross
Aboriginal Warlpiri woman
Theresa Napurrurla Ross is the daughter of Peggy Morton but she was raised by Tess Napaljarri Ross, a full time artist with the Warlukurlangu Artists and her husband, Jack Jakamarra Ross (1992 – 2004), one of the founding artists of the art centre. Theresa grew up in Yuendumu, an Aboriginal settlement 290 kms north-west of Yuendumu. She attended Yuendumu High School and after leaving school Theresa married her husband and had two daughters, Kara and Michaela. Kara lives in Yuendumu and also paints regularly for the art centre. Theresa has been working with Warlukurlangu Artists Aboriginal Corporation, since 2005. She consistently paints her Pamapardu Jukurrpa (Flying Ant Dreaming) from her father’s side. As a young girl she would sit with Jack Ross and watch him paint his dreaming stories, in particular, his Pamapardu Jukurrpa which he passed down to her. These Dreamings relate directly to the land, its features and the plants and animals that inhabit it.
@warlu_artArtworks
Pampardu
'Pamapardu' is the Warlpiri name for the flying ants or termites that build the large anthills found throughout Warlpiri country. These large eath mounds are called 'Mingkirri.' When heavy rains come in the summer the Mingkirri get flooded out, so the Pampardu grow wings and fly off to make new homes; following their queens to dry mounds or to build new ones. Once they have reached their new home they drop their wings.
