STORY - Nelson and Sampson

Artist: Stephen Jupurrula Nelson

Janganpa Jukurrpa (common brush-tail possum [Trichosurus vulpecula] Dreaming) travels all over Warlpiri country. Janganpa are nocturnal animals that often nest in the hollows of white gum trees (wapunungka). This story comes from a big hill called Mawurrji, west of Yuendumu and north of Pikilyi (Vaughan Springs). A group of janganpa ancestors resided there. Every night they would go out in search of food. Their hunting trips took them to Wirlki and Wanapirdi, where they found pamapardu (flying ants). They journeyed on to Ngarlkirdipini looking for water. A Nampijinpa women was living at Mawurrji with her two daughters. She gave her daughters in marriage to a Jupurrurla janganpa but later decided to run away with them. The Jupurrurla angrily pursued the woman. He tracked them to Mawurrji where he killed them with a stone axe. Their bodies are now rocks at this place. Warlpiri people perform a young mens initiation ceremony, which involves the Janganpa Jukurrpa. The Janganpa Jukurrpa belongs to Jakamarra/Jupurrurla men and Nakamarra/Napurrurla women. In Warlpiri paintings traditional iconography is used to represent this Jukurrpa. Janganpa tracks are often represented as E shaped figures and concentric circles are used to depict the trees in which the janganpa live, and also the sites at Mawurrji.

Artist: Kaltu Kaltu Sampson 

Kuntjanu is near Pipalyatjara in the far north west corner of the APY Lands. It is here, in Kuntjanu, that the Wanampi lives. Wanampi is a big rainbow serpent. He is sleeping under the ground, in the big rockhole (tjukula) in the middle. There are tali (sandhills) surrounding the rockhole. Kuntjanu is home to the Wanampi Tjukurpa – Rainbow Serpent Dreaming. This is an important Tjukurpa story, where the snakes represent men. Rama says there is one Wanampi tjilpi old rainbow serpent man – his name is Kuntjanu. His wife is ititjara (pregnant) and is hiding under the water. There are other people there, kuniya, mingkiri, and liru. The Kuniya is a big python with a black back and yellow front. Mingkiri are the mouse people, and liru are the snake people. Liru wati pika wakanu Wanampi, Wanampi pakanu ngarangu, the snake men were angry and speared Wanampi, he rose out of the waterhole and was speared by a left handed man. Wanampi’s son was born there and he still sleeps in the rockhole at Kuntjanu.