Topsy Napurrurla Fisher, Ngapa Jukurrpa (Water Dreaming) - Puyurru, 76x41cm

• Artist - Topsy Napurrurla Fisher
• Community - Nyirripi
• Art Centre/Community organisation - Warlukurlangu Artists Aboriginal Corporation
• Catalogue number - 537/09ny
• Materials - Acrylic on linen
• Size(cm) - H76 W46 D2
• Postage variants - This work is 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 Puyurru, west of Yuendumu. In the usually dry creek beds are ‘mulju’ (soakages), or naturally occurring wells. The 'kirda' (owners) for this site are Nangala/Nampijinpa women and Jangala/Jampijinpa men. Two Jangala men, rainmakers, sang the rain, unleashing a giant storm. The storm travelled across the country from the east to the west, initially travelling with a ‘pamapardu Jukurrpa’ (termite Dreaming) from Warntungurru to Warlura, a waterhole 8 miles east of Yuendumu. At Warlura, a gecko called Yumariyumari blew the storm on to Lapurrukurra and Wilpiri. Bolts of lightning shot out at Wirnpa (also called Mardinymardinypa) and at Kanaralji. At this point the Dreaming track also includes the ‘kurdukurdu mangkurdu Jukurrpa’ (children of the clouds Dreaming). The water Dreaming built hills at Ngamangama using baby clouds and also stuck long pointy clouds into the ground at Jukajuka, where they can still be seen today as rock formations.

Topsy Napurrurla Fisher was born on Mount Doreen Station, about 55 km west of Yuendumu, and when she was young went bush with her family where she was educated in the traditional Aboriginal way, learning about country and traditions. She lived in Nyirripi, an Aboriginal Community 460 kms NW from Alice Springs, in the Central Desert of Australia. Topsy was a widow and had one son and one daughter as well as eight grandchildren. Topsy painted for Warlukurlangu Artists Aboriginal Corporation, an Aboriginal owned and governed art centre located in Yuendumu, since 1987. She painted her Father’s Jukurrpa (dreaming) associated with her country called Mawurrtji, which is north of Nyirripi. The Jukurrpa belongs to all Napurrula, Nakamarra, Japurrula, and Jakamarra. The stories she painted are creation stories which are closely associated with her traditional country, the features and animals found on that land. When Topsy was not painting she loved to go hunting for goanna. Her friends said that she was a very good hunter. She passed away in Nyirripi in 2013.