Frank Japanangka, Janganpa Jukurrpa, 61x30cm

• Artist - Frank Japanangka
• Community - Yuendumu  
• Art Centre/Community organisation - Warlukurlangu Artists Aboriginal Corporation  
• Catalogue number - 388-16  
• Materials - Acrylic on canvas  
• Size(cm) - H61 W30 D2
• Postage variants - Artwork posted un-stretched and rolled for safe shipping

Janganpa Jukurrpa (common brush-tail possum [Trichosurus vulpecula] Dreaming) travels all over Warlpiri country. ‘Janganpa’ are nocturnal animals that often nest in the hollows of white gum trees (‘wapunungka’). This story comes from a big hill called Mawurrji, west of Yuendumu and north of Pikilyi (Vaughan Springs). A group of ‘janganpa’ ancestors resided there. Every night they would go out in search of food. Their hunting trips took them to Wirlki and Wanapirdi, where they found ‘pamapardu’ (flying ants). They journeyed on to Ngarlkirdipini looking for water. A Nampijinpa women was living at Mawurrji with her two daughters. She gave her daughters in marriage to a Jupurrurla ‘janganpa’ but later decided to run away with them. The Jupurrurla angrily pursued the woman. He tracked them to Mawurrji where he killed them with a stone axe. Their bodies are now rocks at this place. Warlpiri people perform a young men’s initiation ceremony, which involves the Janganpa Jukurrpa. The Janganpa Jukurrpa belongs to Jakamarra/Jupurrurla men and Nakamarra/Napurrurla women. In Warlpiri paintings traditional iconography is used to represent this Jukurrpa. ‘Janganpa’ tracks are often represented as 'E' shaped figures and concentric circles are used to depict the trees in which the ‘janganpa’ live, and also the sites at Mawurrji.

Born 'in the bush' near Yuelamu in the 1920's, Frank (or Franky) Japanangka is keeper of the Yuelamu site and a leading figure in the Mt Allan community. Yuelamu is approximately 70 km from Yuendumu and is located on the site of the old Mount Allan Pastoral lease. His daughters Carol Napangardi Frank (Dec) and Peggy Nampijinpa Brown, who was the recipient of the Order of the Australia Medal (2007) for her work in the successful Yuendumu Petrol sniffing program, and several of his nieces whom he raised are also painters with Warlukurlangu Artists. Frank Japanangka worked as a stockman in earlier years. An Anmatyerre speaker, his country is Yuelamu and he paints for that country. In recent years, he has withdrawn more from community politics to reside mainly on the outstation at Yulyipinyu, close to the western boundary of Mt Allan. Before retiring Frank did not paint a great deal but since retiring from community politics Frank has time to paint and has been painting consistently with Warlukurlangu Artists Aboriginal Corporation, an Aboriginal owned and governed Art Centre located in Yuendumu, since 2008. He paints several dreamings but the one that features regularly are Ngapa Jukurrpa (Water Dreaming), depicting Puyuru, a site west of Yuendumu; Karnta jukurrpa (Women’s Dreaming) depicting a sacred site; and Janganpa Jukurrpa (Bush-tail Possum Dreaming), depicting his country, its features and the animals and plants that live on the land.

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