Fabian Japanangka Polly
Nyirripi
This painting depicts a jurnu (Martu: soakage) site off the Canning Stock Route near the Martu community of Kunnawarritji in Western Australia, the artist’s Grandmother’s country. “We can find these soakages after we do burning off, looking for mangarri (bush...
This painting depicts a jurnu (Martu: soakage) site off the Canning Stock Route near the Martu community of Kunnawarritji in Western Australia, the artist’s Grandmother’s country.
“We can find these soakages after we do burning off, looking for mangarri (bush tucker). This jurnu belongs to my family – if anyone else drinks this water they will get sick. When we are finished drinking from it we cover it back up.
My grandmother gave me this story. After the rain, the desert is purple with Desert Rose [Gossypium sturtianum]. When I go hunting, I pick the flowers for my Grandmother. Sometimes she uses them to make bush medicine.”