FAQ

The site for this Dreaming is Yumari, a collection of rocks west of Kintore in the Gibson Desert. Yumari is the site of a forbidden love union between a Japaljarri man and a Nangala woman. This Dreaming was passed down to the artist by a Pintupi man. In contemporary Warlpiri paintings traditional iconography is used to represent the Jukurrpa, associated sites and other elements. In this work concentric circles are often used to represent 'warnirri' (rock holes).

Mina Mina is an extremely significant ceremonial site for Napangardi and Napanangka women located approximately 600km west of Yuendumu. This Jukurrpa tells the ancestral story of a group of ancestral 'karnta' (women) who traveled from west to east. In the Dreamtime, these ancestral women danced at Mina Mina and sacred 'karlangu' (digging sticks) rose up out of the ground. The women collected these digging sticks and began their journey, carrying them over their shoulders while adorned with 'majardi' (hairstring belts), white feathers, and bean tree seed necklaces. This beautiful blue design represents the spiritual energy, paths, and ceremonial footprints left by these ancestral creators.

"Jijaka" is an Aboriginal word meaning "kangaroo." The JIJAKA collection is a historic archive of artworks developed over 20+ years by a collective of talented Aboriginal artists working for the Jumbana Group. Representing the ancestral corroboree ceremonies and ancient Dreamtime journeys of desert and coastal tribes, these colorful, contemporary designs celebrate over 40,000 years of living heritage.

After a good downpour in the central desert regions, the bush tucker becomes prolific, and taking advantage of the plentiful water and food, the budgerigars breed and swarm in the millions. Julianne has depicted the budgerigar eggs interspersed with the myriad of foods they enjoy, including a variety of bush plums, the green bush bananas, the feathery supplies, and many others. The budgies also enjoy grass and spinifex seeds. There are major Budgerigar Dreaming sites in the Kintore and Yuendumu regions of the Tanami Desert.

This painting depicts the Yankirri Jukurrpa (Emu Dreaming) from Ngarlikurlangu, north of Yuendumu. It tells the ancestral story of an emu (yankirri) and a bush turkey (wardilyka) who gathered native bush raisins (yakajirri) and mashed them into fruit balls (kapurdu) for their nests. Driven by jealousy over who gathered the sweetest fruit, a great clash ensued. Today, the round, red rocks at Ngarlikurlangu represent the fruit balls smashed during their legendary fight.

Beautifully designed by renowned Australian Aboriginal artist Maureen Hudson Nampajimpa, this striking textile features a repeating pattern of traditional campfire motifs and black horseshoe-shaped symbols representing the ancestral crow women, set against a rich, fiery terracotta red and orange background.

There are many traditional stories in the central desert regions depicting the ancestral origins of creatures. This particular sacred artwork tells the story of a group of female ancestors who were caught in the great fires of the Warlukurlangu country. Scorched by the flames, they transformed into crows, turning the ensuing bird species entirely black.