Cameron Ross Kemarre

From the artist:

‘This story is about my life, young and wild. I was sent to Wallace Rockhole to a juvenile place in the bush, 100 kms west of Alice Springs. The man taking care of me has since passed.

On my first day I saw 3 different fairy wren birds all in one tree, but these three birds just happened to be a Kadatji Man. I believe it to this day, but also a spiritual moment, such a special sight to see. 3 fairy wrens in the bush. One red, black and white, one yellow black and white, and one dark blue, light blue, black and white. So pretty. I was 16 years old, it was early January, 1983 How did this happen for me?

Later that year, in November 1983, I went to Amberlindum Station after Wallace Rockhole. First day at Amberlindum in the very late afternoon, I saw a white kangaroo, and by the way, for respect, all of these magnificent events took place in Aranda Country, my Dad’s and Mum’s Country.

Now I just sat on a big grey horse, staring in amazement and fascination at this most beautiful white kangaroo, and it did not flinch, not once. Little did I know in Aranda culture if any person is confronted by the white kangaroo, run for your life, scat, go, for this kangaroo is a Kadatji Man. Silly me eyeballed this kangaroo, and 4 days later I’m in hospital with lots of boils inside both my kidneys. It had all the Alice Springs doctors baffled. They had never seen this before.

All the pretty fish were revealed to me in 1970s by Dad 34 days after the big rains came. So many schools of different coloured fish, small ones buried deep in the rivers west of Alice Springs. So beautiful and amazing.

There are the caterpillars, beautiful Yipirinya, the mountain ranges, hills, stones, rocks, rivers, creeks, gaps, gorges, underground water, our magnificent wonders of power and love. Our rainbow serpents, all throughout Yipirinya, all connected. Everyone, everything, all creation, even you who owns this story painting. Me, you, family, us mob all one, even our neighbours up there in the sky. All this painting, growing, punished for trouble, learning, seeing spirituality, such amazing times in life, please ensure this, think, even imagine. Yes, it’s all out there, everyone is different and yes it will happen sooner or later to you. Your spiritual moments.’