MITJILI NAPANANGKA GIBSON - WILKINKARRA
MITJILI NAPANANGKA GIBSON
WILKINKARRA, 2070
153 x 122 cm
acrylic on linen
REGION
Wirnparrku and Yumari
PROVENANCE
bears inscription verso: Gallery Gondwana stamp, Cat No.9847MNPrivate Collection, NSW
Art Leven, NSW
STORY
Mitjili Napanangka Gibson, inspired by her niece, Dorothy Napangardi, began painting on canvas in 2006, the year this work was created. They shared many Dreaming stories, in particular those associated with Mina Mina, a sacred site for the Napanangka and Napangardi skin groups on Warlpiri land.
Fluent in both Pintupi and Warlpiri languages, Mitjili could trace her heritage to those members of the Pintupi whose first contact with white people was a meeting with Donald Thompson’s exploration party in 1957. While most Pintupi moved north towards Balgo or east towards Papunya, Mitjili Napanangka Gibson’s small family group moved to the Warlpiri community of Yuendumu.
This painting is about getting snake vine (Ngalyipi) from where they grow around the sand hills of Lake MacKay and splitting the vine to make traditional rope or twine. Traditionally, the bark is torn into long strips that are plaited together from the sandals that could be used when the sand was very hot or when there were fields of shape broken stones to walk upon. Ngalyipi was an important component in certain ceremonies.
ARTIST PROFILE
