Ormay Nangala Gallagher, Jurlpu kuja kalu nyinami Yurntumu-wana (Birds that live around Yuendumu), 30x30cm

• Artist - Ormay Nangala Gallagher
• Community - Yuendumu  
• Art Centre/Community organisation - Warlukurlangu Artists Aboriginal Corporation  
• Catalogue number - 5625/18
• Materials - Acrylic on pre-stretched canvas 
• Size(cm) - H30 W30 D3.5  
• Postage variants - Artwork posted stretched and ready to hang
• Orientation - As displayed

This painting depicts one of many ‘jurlpu’ (bird) species that live around Yuendumu. The bush around Yuendumu provides many different habitats for birds to live in. Many bird species live around waterholes and rivers, like the ‘pirniny-pirninypa’ (black fronted dotterel [Elseyornis melanops]) and Ngatijirri (budgerigar [Melopsittacus undulates]). Others live in the spinifex country, like the ‘nuwiyingki’ or ‘panngarra’ (cockatiel [Nymphicus hollandicus]). Still others make nests in trees, like the ‘juwayikirdi’ (grey crowned babbler [Pomatostomus temporalis]).

People hunt some of these species for meat. The most popular species to hunt today are the ‘yankirri’ (emu [Dromaius novaehollandiae]) and ‘wardilyka’ (bush turkey [Ardeotis australis]). People also used to hunt ‘yupurru’ (spinifex pigeon [Geophaps plumifera]) and ‘ngapilkiri’ (crested pigeon [Ocyphaps lophotes]), among others.

A number of bird species tell people messages. Several species tell people when rain is coming, including the ‘jintirr-jintirrpa’ (willy wagtail [Rhipidura leucophrys]) and ‘kalwa’ (crane). The cries of other birds, like the ‘kirrkalanji’ (brown falcon [Falco berigora]) and ‘ngamirliri’ (bush stone curlew [Burhinus grallarius]), can make children sick. The ‘paku-paku’ (crested bellbird [Oreoica gutturalis]) and ‘kurlukuku’ (diamond dove [Geopelia cuneata]) are messengers of love songs.

People also use messages from birds to help them hunt. The ‘juwayikirdi’ (grey crowned babbler [Pomatostomus temporalis]) and ‘piirn-piirnpa’ (yellow throated miner [Manorina flavigula]) cry when goannas are nearby. People know to run quickly when these birds cry, so that they can catch the goannas.

In Warlpiri culture, ‘jurlpu’ (birds) are associated with a number of different ‘Jukurrpa’ (Dreaming) stories. Some are even associated with major ceremonies, including the Jardiwarnpa fire ceremony.

"I like painting my father's and mother's Jukurrpa, it makes me feel proud and happy." Ormay Nangala Gallagher was born in Alice Springs hospital, the closest hospital to Yuendumu, a remote Aboriginal community 290 km from Alice Springs in the NT of Australia. Her upbringing was mainly in Yuendumu where she attended the local Yuendumu School. In 1978 she attended Yirara College, an Aboriginal boarding school in Alice Springs and between 1978 -1979 she attended Sadadeen College. She then moved to Nyirripi where she worked at the Nyirripi store from 1986 to 1994. Between 1995 and 2004 she worked at Nyirripi School as a teacher. She did her teachers training through Batchelor College. Ormay is married and has two children. She likes listening to country music, going bush hunting, enjoys watching TV, meeting friends and going on holidays around Australia. “I started painting in the 1980’s and I am still painting today. I do dot painting and the dreaming that I paint is about Emu and Water, that dreaming is at Mikanji and that is my fathers dreaming. I also paint Pama-pardu and Emu, that dreaming is North of Nyirrripi at a place call Waylka and Wantungurru, which is also another of my fathers dreaming.” Ormay travelled to Bahrain in 2008 and Delhi, India in 2009 with Warlukurlangu Artists.