Margaret Napangardi Brown

A story of the new

The country associated with this painting is Mina Mina, a place far to the west of Yuendumu, which is significant to Napangardi and Napanangka women who are the custodians of the Jukurrpa that created the area. The Jukurrpa story tells of the journey of a group of women of all ages who travelled to the east gathering food, collecting ‘ngalyipi’ (snake vine) and performing ceremonies as they travelled. The women began their journey at Mina Mina where karlangu (digging sticks) emerged from the ground. Taking these implements the women travelled east creating Janyinki and other sites. Their journey took them eventually beyond Warlpiri country. The central motif in this painting is the karlangu (digging stick). The curved lines represent the ‘ngalyipi’ (snake vine). The small circles are ‘mangarri’ (bush bread) and the Napangardi and Napanangka women are represented as U shapes. Including as a central motif is a staple to carry Parrajas (wooden bowls) laden with bush tucker and as a tourniquet for headaches.