Agnes Nampijinpa Fry, Jurlpu kuja kalu nyinami Yurntumu-wana (Birds that live around Yuendumu), 61x61cm

• Artist - Agnes Nampijinpa Fry
• Community - Yuendumu
• Art Centre/Community organisation - Warlukurlangu Artists Aboriginal Corporation
• Catalogue number - 4580/16
• Materials - Acrylic on linen 
• Size(cm) - H61 W61 D2 
• Postage variants - Artwork is posted un-stretched and rolled for safe shipping.
• Orientation - As displayed

This painting depicts one of many ‘jurlpu’ (bird) species that live around Yuendumu. The bush around Yuendumu provides many different habitats for birds to live in. Many bird species live around waterholes and rivers, like the ‘pirniny-pirninypa’ (black fronted dotterel [Elseyornis melanops]). Others live in the spinifex country, like the ‘nuwiyingki’ or ‘panngarra’ (cockatiel [Nymphicus hollandicus]). Still others make nests in trees, like the ‘juwayikirdi’ (grey crowned babbler [Pomatostomus temporalis]).

People hunt some of these species for meat. The most popular species to hunt today are the ‘yankirri’ (emu [Dromaius novaehollandiae]) and ‘wardilyka’ (bush turkey [Ardeotis australis]). People also used to hunt ‘yupurru’ (spinifex pigeon [Geophaps plumifera]) and ‘ngapilkiri’ (crested pigeon [Ocyphaps lophotes]), among others.

A number of bird species tell people messages. Several species tell people when rain is coming, including the ‘jintirr-jintirrpa’ (willy wagtail [Rhipidura leucophrys]) and ‘kalwa’ (crane). The cries of other birds, like the ‘kirrkalanji’ (brown falcon [Falco berigora]) and ‘ngamirliri’ (bush stone curlew [Burhinus grallarius]), can make children sick. The ‘paku-paku’ (crested bellbird [Oreoica gutturalis]) and ‘kurlukuku’ (diamond dove [Geopelia cuneata]) are messengers of love songs.

People also use messages from birds to help them hunt. The ‘juwayikirdi’ (grey crowned babbler [Pomatostomus temporalis]) and ‘piirn-piirnpa’ (yellow throated miner [Manorina flavigula]) cry when goannas are nearby. People know to run quickly when these birds cry, so that they can catch the goannas.

In Warlpiri culture, ‘jurlpu’ (birds) are associated with a number of different ‘Jukurrpa’ (Dreaming) stories. Some are even associated with major ceremonies, including the Jardiwarnpa fire ceremony.

Agnes Nampijinpa Fry was born in 1965 in Yuendumu, a remote community located 290kms north-west of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory of Australia. Agnes was schooled in Yuendumu and still lives there today. She is married to Stephen Jakamarra Walker, the son of the famous Warlpiri artist Liddy Napanangka Walker. They have four children, Lesley, Braden, Sinella and Trevor. Their eldest son lives in Papunya and their eldest daughter lives at Mt Liebig, originally an outstation of Papunya but now a small community in its own rights. Their two youngest children still go to school. Agnes has been painting with Warlukurlangu Artists Aboriginal Corporation, an Aboriginal owned and governed art centre located in Yuendumu, since 2006. She paints her father’s Jukurrpa stories, Dreamings relating directly to her land, its features and animals. These stories were passed down to her by her father and her grandfather and their fathers for millennia. When Agnes is not painting she likes to go hunting for bush tucker, particularly Bush Currants. When she has the opportunity she also likes to travel to Papunya and Mt Liebig to see her daughter and son.