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Juliette Nampijinpa Brown, Ngapa Jukurrpa (Water Dreaming) - Mikanji, 76x61cm
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  • Aboriginal Art by Juliette Nampijinpa Brown, Ngapa Jukurrpa (Water Dreaming) - Mikanji, 76x61cm - ART ARK®
  • Aboriginal Art by Juliette Nampijinpa Brown, Ngapa Jukurrpa (Water Dreaming) - Mikanji, 76x61cm - ART ARK®
  • Aboriginal Art by Juliette Nampijinpa Brown, Ngapa Jukurrpa (Water Dreaming) - Mikanji, 76x61cm - ART ARK®
  • Aboriginal Art by Juliette Nampijinpa Brown, Ngapa Jukurrpa (Water Dreaming) - Mikanji, 76x61cm - ART ARK®
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Aboriginal Art by Juliette Nampijinpa Brown, Ngapa Jukurrpa (Water Dreaming) - Mikanji, 76x61cm - ART ARK®
Aboriginal Art by Juliette Nampijinpa Brown, Ngapa Jukurrpa (Water Dreaming) - Mikanji, 76x61cm - ART ARK®
Aboriginal Art by Juliette Nampijinpa Brown, Ngapa Jukurrpa (Water Dreaming) - Mikanji, 76x61cm - ART ARK®
Aboriginal Art by Juliette Nampijinpa Brown, Ngapa Jukurrpa (Water Dreaming) - Mikanji, 76x61cm - ART ARK®

Juliette Nampijinpa Brown, Ngapa Jukurrpa (Water Dreaming) - Mikanji, 76x61cm

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Original Work of Art (1/1) from a Community Art Centre. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity issued by them.

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  • Aboriginal Artist - Juliette Nampijinpa Brown
  • Community - Yuendumu  
  • Aboriginal Art Centre - Warlukurlangu Artists Aboriginal Corporation  
  • Catalogue number - 5308/22
  • Materials - Acrylic on linen 
  • Size(cm) - H76 W61 D2
  • Postage - Artwork posted un-stretched and rolled for safe shipping
  • Orientation - Painted from all sides and OK to hang as wished

The country associated with this 'ngapa Jukurrpa' (water Dreaming) is Mikanji, a watercourse west of Yuendumu that is usually dry. There are ‘mulju’ (soakages) in this creek bed. The 'kirda' (owners) of this Dreaming site are Nangala/Nampijinpa women and Jangala/Jampijinpa men. Mikanji is an important water Dreaming site, and features in at least three different water Dreaming tracks.

In one story, the water Dreaming travelled from Puyurru, northwest of Yuendumu, to a ‘mulju’ (soakage) in the Mikanji creek. It unleashed a huge storm there. Two old blind women of the Nampijinpa skin group were sitting by the side of the soakages. As the two women strained their eyes to see the sky, tears formed in their eyes, creating the rain. Their spirits can still be seen at Mikanji in the form of two ‘ngapiri’ (river red gums) growing near the soakage.

A second water Dreaming track that passes through Mikanji is also owned by the Nangala/Jangala and Nampijinpa/Jampijinpa subsections, and travels further west. At Mikanji, the storm rained so hard it created a hole in the ground which became a soakage. At Mirawarri a ‘kirrkarlanji’ (brown falcon [Falco berigora]) picked up the storm and carried it on its wings to the west until it became too heavy for it. The falcon eventually dropped the storm at Pirlinyarnu (Mt. Farewell) about 165 km west of Yuendumu, where it formed an enormous ‘maluri’ (claypan). A ‘mulju’ (soakage) exists in this place today.

A third Dreaming track that passes through Mikanji is the story of the water Dreaming and ‘pamapardu Jukurrpa’ (termite Dreaming). This Dreaming travels further north. This water Dreaming is owned by Nakamarra/Napurrurla women and Jakamarra/Jupurrurla men. The termite and water Dreamings travelled together from Warntungurru in the east past Warlura (a waterhole 8 miles east of Yuendumu), Wirnpa, Kanaralji, Ngamangama, and Jukajuka. A portion of this Dreaming track also includes the ‘kurdukurdu mangkurdu Jukurrpa’ (children of the clouds Dreaming). The termite Dreaming moved on to the west to Nyirrpi, a community approximately 160 km west of Yuendumu, whereas the water Dreaming travelled on to Mikanji. A ‘kirrkarlanji’ (brown falcon) eventually picked up the water and tied it to its head using hairstring. The falcon travelled north with the water Dreaming; at Puyurru, it flew under a tree and the water fell off of its head, forming a soakage there. The Dreaming then travelled on through other locations including Yalyarilalku, Mikilyparnta, Katalpi, Lungkardajarra, Jirawarnpa, Kamira, Yurrunjuku, and Jikaya before moving on into Gurindji country to the north.

In contemporary Warlpiri paintings, traditional iconography is used to represent the ‘Jukurrpa’ (Dreaming), associated sites, and other elements. In many paintings of this Dreaming, short dashes are often used to represent ‘mangkurdu’ (cumulus & stratocumulus clouds), and longer, flowing lines represent ‘ngawarra’ (flood waters). Small circles are used to depict ‘mulju’ (soakages) and river beds.

Juliette Nampijinpa Brown was born in 1971 in Alice Springs Hospital, the closest hospital to Yuendumu, a remote Aboriginal community 290 km from Alice Springs in NT of Australia. Juliette was born into a long line of artists, her mother is Wendy Nungarrayi Brown and her grandparents are Bessie Nakamarra Sims (1932 - 2012) and Paddy Japaljarri Sims (1916-2010), all renowned artists, nationally and internationally and who paint and have painted with Walukurlangu Artists. Juliette attended Yuendumu School, which she enjoyed very much. When she left school she became a volunteer with the Old People’s Program, a program that helps care for the elderly. She has three children, “all grown up” and five grandchildren. Juliette has been painting with Warlukurlangu Artists Aboriginal Corporation, an Aboriginal owned and governed art centre located in Yuendumu, since 2008. She paints her grandfather’s Jukurrpa stories; Ngapa Jukurrpa (Water Dreaming) and Pamapardu Jukurrpa (Flying Ant Dreaming). These stories relate directly to her land, its features and the plants and animals that inhabit it. Juliette uses an unrestricted palette with traditional patterns and designs that stretch back at least fifty millennia to depict her traditional Jukurrpa. Juliette loves painting and enjoys sitting with her grandchildren while she paints. As the grandchildren watch she passes down her grandfather’s stories. When Juliette is not painting she loves to go hunting for honey ants.

All paintings come with a certificate of authenticity provided by the community-run Aboriginal Art Centre, not us, which is the gold standard for ethical purchasing and documentation.

We take great pride in offering high-quality, authentic Aboriginal Art pieces to you and in addition to our 120-day returns(they don't come back), we are pleased to offer a lifetime money-back authenticity guarantee to all customers who purchase Aboriginal Art from us, both past and present.

This guarantee covers any disrepute or wrongdoing in association with the authenticity of any Aboriginal artwork ever sold by ART ARK®. We understand that purchasing authentic Aboriginal Art is important to you, and we want to provide you with peace of mind in knowing that you are getting what you expect.

We take the authenticity of Aboriginal Art seriously and are committed to providing you with high-quality and genuine works of art. If at any time you have any concerns whatsoever about the authenticity of any art piece, please do not hesitate to contact us and we will investigate further. If we find any wrongdoing or disrepute in regards to the provenance or authenticity of any artwork sold by us we will promptly provide a full refund to you at any time in the future, be it in one year, or in ten!

Please find more information on authenticity here: https://artark.com.au/pages/aboriginal-art-authenticity

All of our Desert Paintings, with the exception of the Stretched Desert Paintings Collection, are sent rolled.

Sending paintings rolled is the best option for their safe arrival and allows us to include free shipping, provide timely service, and maintain consistent and transparent pricing relating to the prices set by each Aboriginal Art centre.

The size of the painting listed relates to the painted surface. There is also a painted edge(2cm) and additional canvas for stretching.

A local framer will easily stretch the work for you at a nominal cost. Framers are everywhere and there is likely one just up the road. We recommend choosing one with good reviews and if you call ahead you will generally get a better-quoted price than if you turn up, painting in hand.

Please find further details and examples relating to framing here: https://artark.com.au/pages/how-to-frame-your-aboriginal-art