Kirritji, 2023

$2,200.00

  • 100cm x 100cm
  • 2023
  • acrylic on linen
  • Catalog No: 2249-306-23

This painting depicts papa (dingo) story at Ryiluwa rockhole north-west of Patjarr. Other nearby rockholes are also shown, these include Mirrlkarrnga rockhole, Tjalpantja rockhole, Nyinpinkalala rockhole and Ngakurra rockhole.A group of papa of all different colours including white, yellow and red were walking around, heading east. They were all clean dogs, not scabies dogs. They were walking around this area, they came together and were heading east, looking for their father. One man, wati Kirnara (the moon Ancestor) came along and was leading the papa around, looking around, hunting and camping kapitu-kapitu (rockhole to rockhole). He travelled with his grandaughter (kapili), kungka Tjintirr-Tjintirr (willy wagtail). Wati Kirnara made their camp a long way from the nearest rockhole and sent Tjintirr-Tjintirr off to collect water in her kanilypa (water bowl). When he was satisfied that she had gone a long way, Kirnara unwound his yakirri (head band) and used his stone axe to strike his forehead and split it open. That old man had all types of meat hidden in his forehead, carpet snake, pussy cat, echidna, ninu, karpitji, tingka, makura, mala, every type of meat he had hunted for secretly and hidden in his forehead. He hit his forehead so all the kuka (meat) fell out, then he made a fire quickly so that when his grandaughter came back there was plenty of meat cooking on the fire. He tricked her because she was worried about where they would get food from. His grandaughter was amazed at his power when she saw all that meat cooking, ready to eat. After doing this magic, wati Kirnara was really thirsty. He had a big drink and then lay back to rest while his meat was cooking. Wati Kirnara took the papa to the bush and left them there. They all had to stay behind. Wati Kirnara left the papa behind and kept going towards Kiwirrkurra. At another camp, the grandaughter was curious about her tjamu (grandfather). He was always tricking her, so this time when he sent her to get water, she only went a little way so she could spy on him. Wati Kirnara hit his head hard but nothing happening, he hit his head again and still nothing. After three times, hitting his head, he looked around and saw the girl watching him. He was angry that she watched him so he walked off alone and left her. He walked up into the sky.

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