Long Maggie Nakamarra White, Ngapa Jukurrpa (Water Dreaming) - Pirlinyarnu, 61x30cm

• Artist - Long Maggie Nakamarra White
• Community - Yuendumu  
• Art Centre/Community organisation - Warlukurlangu Artists Aboriginal Corporation  
• Catalogue number - 911/13  
• Materials - Acrylic on canvas  
• Size(cm) - H61 W30 D2
• Postage variants - Artwork posted un-stretched and rolled for safe shipping
• Orientation - Painted from all sides and OK to hang as wished

The site depicted in this painting is Pirlinyarnu (Mt. Farewell), about 165 km west of Yuendumu in the Northern Territory. Two Jangala men, rainmakers, sang the rain, unleashing a giant storm that collided with another storm from Wapurtali. The two storms travelled across the country, from Karlipinpa near Kintore. A Kirrkarlanji (brown falcon [Falco berigora]) carried the storm further west until it dropped the storm at Pirlinyarnu, forming an enormous Maliri (lake). A “mulju” (soakage) exists in this place today. At Puyurru the bird dug up a ‘warnayarra’ (rainbow serpent). The serpent carried water with it to create another large lake. Whenever it rains today hundreds of ‘ngapangarlpa’ (bush ducks) still flock to Pirlinyarnu. The ‘kirda’ (custodians) for this Jukurrpa are Jangala/Jampijinpa men and Nangala/ Nampijinpa women.

Long Maggie Nakamarra White, so named because of her tall and slim stature, was born c. 1930 in Yuendumu, a remote Aboriginal community 290 km north-west of Alice Springs. Maggie grew up there with her family. She was a widow, with one married daughter, who lives in Alice Springs with her husband. She started painting in 1987 at Warlukurlangu Artists, an Aboriginal owned and governed art centre in Yuendumu. She painted several dreamings including Lukarrara Jukurrpa (Seed Grass Dreaming), Karnta Jukurrpa (Womens Dreaming), Pamapardu Jukurrpa (Flying Ant Dreaming), Ngapa Jukurrpa (Water Dreaming) and Jardiwanpa Jukurrpa (Snake Dreaming). Maggie used to go hunting with the other women from Yuendumu, visiting her country at Mijirlparnta (Mission Creek), and watching AFL games, both live and on television.