Kelly Napanangka Michaels, Janganpa Jukurrpa (Brush-tail Possum Dreaming) - Mawurrji, 30x30cm

• Aboriginal Artist - Kelly Napanangka Michaels
• Community - Yuendumu  
• Aboriginal Art Centre - Warlukurlangu Artists Aboriginal Corporation  
• Catalogue number - 1877/19
• Materials - Acrylic on pre-stretched canvas  
• Size(cm) - H30 W30 D3.5  
• Postage variants - Artwork posted stretched and ready to hang
• Orientation - Painted from all sides and OK to hang as wished

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.

Kelly Napanangka Michaels was born in 1965 and lives in Yuendumu, an Aboriginal settlement located 290 kms north west of Alice Springs. She attended the local school in Yuendumu. She is married to Roy Jupurrurla Curtis, the local Indigenous Police Aid. They have four daughters. She is a grandmother and spends a lot of time caring for her grandchildren. As often as possible she travels to Nyirripi a settlement 160 kms west of Yuendumu where two of her daughters live. She has been painting with Warlukurlangu Artists Aboriginal Corporation since 1987, an Aboriginal owned and governed art centre located in Yuendumu. She paints her Dreaming stories which are directly related to her traditional country, its land, features and animals such as Mina Mina Jukurrpa (Mina Mina Dreaming), Marrjadi Jukurrpa (Ceremonial and Hairstring Dreaming) Karnta Jukurrpa (Women's Dreaming) andYarla Jukurrpa (Bush Potato Dreaming). Kelly loves painting particularly her Mina Mina and Dancing patterns and designs. These patterns and designs depicting her stories have been passed down through her family for millennia. Kelly loves to spend time hunting for traditional bush foods in the countryside surrounding Yuendumu and Nyirripi. She also loves playing softball and basketball and is a keen competitor at the annual Yuendumu Sports weekend.