Naata Nungurrayi
Women's Ceremony at Marrapinti, 2002
Acrylic on canvas
30.5x 137.2 cm (12 x 54 in)
Language Group: Pintupi Born near Kumil, WA Naata was born near Kumil, west of Pollock Hills in Western Australia. Naata is a full blood sister to Nancy Nungurrayi Ross, sister...
Language Group: Pintupi
Born near Kumil, WA
Naata was born near Kumil, west of Pollock Hills in Western Australia. Naata is a full blood sister to Nancy Nungurrayi Ross, sister to George (Hairbrush) Tjungurrayi, and mother to Kenny Williams Tjampitjinpa; all highly respected artists in their own right. Naata and her family came to Papunya from the desert bush in April 1962, and were brought into a camp by Jeremy Long, who was operating patrols out of Darwin.
She started painting in 1996 and paints her country, which is near Kiwirrkurra WA and women’s ceremonies. Her country includes Marrapinti, Naami and Walla Walla.
About the painting -
Women’s Ceremony at Marrapinti
Naata has depicted the designs associated with women’s ceremonies at the site at Marrapinti. The small circles with the lines are the rock holes with water flowing in and out. Here the women sit around campfires grinding and preparing the ochres for body painting. The painting represents a topographical view of the country and the land features such as sand hills, creeks and rock formations. The rock formations are depicted as the stand-alone circles. Marrapinti is a very important women’s site and is taboo for men.
Born near Kumil, WA
Naata was born near Kumil, west of Pollock Hills in Western Australia. Naata is a full blood sister to Nancy Nungurrayi Ross, sister to George (Hairbrush) Tjungurrayi, and mother to Kenny Williams Tjampitjinpa; all highly respected artists in their own right. Naata and her family came to Papunya from the desert bush in April 1962, and were brought into a camp by Jeremy Long, who was operating patrols out of Darwin.
She started painting in 1996 and paints her country, which is near Kiwirrkurra WA and women’s ceremonies. Her country includes Marrapinti, Naami and Walla Walla.
About the painting -
Women’s Ceremony at Marrapinti
Naata has depicted the designs associated with women’s ceremonies at the site at Marrapinti. The small circles with the lines are the rock holes with water flowing in and out. Here the women sit around campfires grinding and preparing the ochres for body painting. The painting represents a topographical view of the country and the land features such as sand hills, creeks and rock formations. The rock formations are depicted as the stand-alone circles. Marrapinti is a very important women’s site and is taboo for men.
Courtesy of The Spaceless Gallery
Copyright The Artist