Nigel Japanangka Marshall

Nigel Marshall was born in Yuendumu in 1972 at the old hospital before it closed down. He is the Grandson of Kamalyarrpa Japanangka AKA 'Bullfrog', who was involved in the infamous Coniston Massacre of 1928. He is married to renowned Warlukurlangu Artist Julie Robertson, and they have two children. Nigel supports the Western Bulldogs, and he used to coach the Yuendumu Magpies under 18s. Kumpu is his traditional country, and he paints Jungunpa or native mouse Jukurrpa. His mothers dreaming is Warlukurlangu.

Nigel's dreaming is Jungunpa Jukurrpa.

The Jungunpa Jukurrpa (spinifex hopping-mouse [Notornis alexis] Dreaming) plays an important part in higher-level initiation ceremonies for Japaljarri and Jungarrayi men. ‘Jungunpa’ makes holes everywhere and some form long tunnels. They are nocturnal animals. This Dreaming tells the story of ‘jungunpa’ ancestors who travelled from Kunajarrayi to Jila (Chilla Well) and then went underground to Junti. At Junti they looked around for food and after hunting there they went underground again and travelled south-west to Junginyi. Later they returned to Junti. This story is part of higher initiation ceremonies for Japaljarri and Jungarrayi men. In Warlpiri paintings traditional iconography is used to represent the Jukurrpa and other elements. Often concentric circles are used to represent ‘mulju’ (water soakages), and wavy lines portray the ‘ngirnti’ (tail tracks) of the Jungunpa flanked by his ‘wirliya’ (footprints). Larger roundels can be used to depict the underground home of the Jungunpa and arc-shaped figures represent men lying down in the warmth of the late afternoon after hunting.

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Jungunpa Jukurrpa (Spinifex Hopping Mouse Dreaming) 1018-24 2024
acrylic on canvas, stretched
152cm x 152cm
$5,000 AUD