Wendy Nungarrayi Brown, Yanjirlpirri or Napaljarri-Warnu Jukurrpa (Star or Seven Sisters Dreaming), 30x30cm

The Napaljarri-Warnu Jukurrpa (Seven Sisters Dreaming) depicts the story of the seven ancestral Napaljarri sisters who are found in the night sky today in the cluster of seven stars in the constellation Taurus, more commonly known as the Pleiades. The Pleiades are seven women of the Napaljarri skin group and are often depicted in paintings of this Jukurrpa carrying the Jampijinpa man ‘wardilyka’ (the bush turkey [Ardeotis australias]) who is in love with the Napaljarri-warnu and who represents the Orion's Belt cluster of stars. Jukurra-jukurra, the morning star, is a Jakamarra man who is also in love with the seven Napaljarri sisters and is often shown chasing them across the night sky. In a final attempt to escape from the Jakamarra the Napaljarri-warnu turned themselves into fire and ascended to the heavens to become stars. The custodians of the Napaljarri-warnu Jukurrpa are Japaljarri/Jungarrayi men and Napaljarri/Nungarrayi women. Some parts of the Napaljarri-warnu Jukurrpa are closely associated with men’s sacred ceremonies of a very secretive nature.

Yanjirlpirri Jukurrpa (Star Dreaming) tells of the journey of Japaljarri and Jungarrayi men who travelled from Kurlurngalinypa (near Lajamanu) to Yanjirlypirri (west of Yuendumu) and then on to Lake Mackay on the West Australian border. Along the way they performed ‘kurdiji’ (initiation ceremonies) for young men. Women also danced for the ‘kurdiji’. The site depicted in this canvas is Yanjirlypiri (star) where there is a low hill and a water soakage. The importance of this place cannot be overemphasized as young boys are brought here to be initiated from as far as Pitjanjatjara country to the south and Lajamanu to the north.

In contemporary Warlpiri paintings traditional iconography is used to represent the Jukurrpa, associated sites and other elements. Often depicted in paintings for this Jukurrpa is the female star Yantarlarangi (Venus - the Evening Star) who chases the seven Napaljarri sisters for having stolen the night from her.

Wendy Nungarrayi Brown is the daughter of two of Warlukurlangu Artists founding artists: The late Bessie Nakamarra Sims (1932- 2012) and the late Paddy Japaljarri Sims (1916 – 2010). She has two sisters and one brother and they all paint through the art centre. Wendy has four children and many grandchildren that she helps to take care of when she’s not painting. Wendy has lived her whole life in Yuendumu; a remote Aboriginal community located 290 kms north-west of Alice Springs in the NT of Australia. She attended the local school followed by further studies at Bachelor College where she completed a pre-tertiary course before studying Early Childhood Education. Besides helping out with Meals on Wheels for the old people, Wendy worked for many years at the local Child Care Centre but had to stop working in 2004 as she suffers from chronic arthritis. Wendy has been painting with the Warlukurlangu Artists Aboriginal Corporation, an Aboriginal owned and governed art centre located in Yuendumu, since 1987 and has been exhibiting her work in Group Exhibitions since 1988. Because of her busy lifestyle her production of art work was initially sporadic - it wasn’t until 2004 when she retired that she was able to commit herself to full time painting. Wendy paints her Dreaming stories, dreaming stories which relate directly to ceremony, land, and bush tucker. These Dreaming stories were passed down to her by her father and his father before him.