Linda Napurulla Ngitjanka

Linda was born in 1935 at Warapuyu, north of Browns Bore.  Her father was born at Lake Mackay, west of Kintore.  Her parents passed away when she was a little girl and she was sent to Haasts Bluff mission where she grew up and married Katapana Alan Tjapanangka.  His country is Yumari, also west of Kintore.  Her tjukurrpa is the bush raisin, small green and black berries known as ngamanpurru.  She also paints her father’s tjukurrpa, waru tjangitjarra (firesticks) and kuturru (nulla nulla) tjukurrpa from her own country, Alkipi.  Nulla nullas are cut and carved from mulga hardwood and are used in ceremonies with song and dance, for digging, and occasionally for fighting.  Linda’s artistic talents, linked with her natural sense of colour and design, allow her to create vibrant, energetic works representing the mountains (puli) and bush raisins of her home country, Alkipi.  She first painted at Ikuntji Women’s Centre in 1996 and now divides her time between Haasts Bluff and Areyonga where her daughter, Tarna, is principal of the school.