Betsy Napangardi Lewis

‘Mina Mina Jukurrpa – Mina Mina Dreaming ‘ by Betsy Lewis. The country associated with this painting is Mina Mina, a place far west of Yuendumu, significant to Napangardi and Napanangka women who are the custodians of the Jukurrpa that created the area. The Dreaming describes the journey of a group of women of all ages who travelled east gathering food, collecting Ngalyipi (Tinospora smilacina or snake vine) and performing ceremonies as they travelled. The women began their journey at Mina Mina where Karlangu (digging sticks) emerged from the ground. Taking these implements the women travelled east creating Janyinki and other sites. Their journey took them eventually beyond Warlpiri country. In contemporary Warlpiri paintings traditional iconography is used to represent the Jukurrpa, associated sites and other elements. The primary motif used in paintings of the Jukurrpa are the Karlangu digging sticks which rose up out of the ground at Mina Mina. The women used them to collect bush tucker on their travels. This painting shows the motion of the digging sticks as the women move them to dig. These beautiful, unique rugs are a cross-cultural collaboration combining Aboriginal designs and traditional Kashmiri rug-making techniques. Chain stitched, using hand dyed wool and finished with a heavy cotton backing, each rug is a completely handmade piece. This project is unusual because the rug is owned by the artist, rather than licensed to a third party. A more empowering way to work, this brings many direct benefits to the artists’ and their community. Control and ownership of intellectual property are also maintained. Purchase of these rugs guarantees a direct return to the aboriginal artist and their community.