Andrea Nungarrayi Wilson

Andrea Nungarrayi Wilson is the daughter in law of Alice Nampijinpa Henwood, a well-known artist who paints with Warlukurlangu Artists. In 2007 Andrea lived in Nyirripi, she later (2011) moved to Billiluna, a community on the Canning Stock Route, not too far from the Tanami Road, in WA. It is located 147 km south of Halls Creek and 593 km north-west of Yuendumu.

Andrea has been painting for Warlukurlangu Artists Aboriginal Corporation since 2007. She mainly paints her Father’s Jukurrpa, in particular Yurrampi Jukurrpa (Honey Ant Dreaming). These dreamings relate directly to the land, its features and the plants and animals that inhabit it. They were passed down to her father by his father and his father’s father before him for millennia. Andrea uses traditional designs and icons with an unrestricted palette to develop a modern interpretation of her traditional culture.

This Jukurrpa belongs to women of the Nakamarra/Napurrurla subsections and to Jakamarra/Jupurrurla men. This Dreaming is associated with a place called Jaralypari, north of Yuendumu. Lukarrara (desert fringe-rush [Fimbristylis oxystachya & Fimbristylis eremophila]) is a grass with an edible seed. The seeds are traditionally ground on a large stone (‘ngatinyanu’) with a smaller stone (‘ngalikirri’) to make flour. This flour is mixed with water (‘ngapa’) to make damper cakes which are cooked and eaten. In Warlpiri traditional paintings iconography is used to represent the Jukurrpa, particular sites and other elements. Large concentric circles often represent the site of Jaralypari and also the seed bearing grass Lukurrara. ‘U’ shapes can depict the Karnta (women) collecting ‘lukarrara’ and straight lines are frequently used to portray seeds that fall down to the ground and are also collected by women using their ‘parrajas’ (wooden food carriers) and ‘karlangu’ (digging sticks).

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