STORY - Patterson, Morris and Marks

Artist: Nelly Patterson

This is an epic Tjukurpa, creation story. A man, Wati Nyiru chases 7 sisters across Australia shaping the land as they went. He wanted to marry the big sister and sang about how much he wanted her. The girls kept running and escaped into the sky becoming the Pleiades constellation, and Wati Nyiru became Orion, forever unable to catch the sisters.

Artist: Murdie Nampijinpa Morris

Two dog ancestors, a Jampijinpa and a Napangardi, travelled from the west to the east. They dug holes in the ground and created ‘warnirri’ (rockholes) and ‘ngapa’ (waterholes) as they went. The two dogs separated. Eventually Jampijinpa became lonely and howled for Napangardi in the south. She came running to him, and they married each other at Ngarnka.

Artist: Damien and Yilpi Marks

This is a teaching painting, describing a dry season in Mount Liebig, in the Northern Territory.Women & children collect bush potatoes & prepare for inma (ceremony). A man, wati, sits down with his waru (spear). Controlled burnings are taking place as the spinifex is dry, and this means good fruits can grow.