Chantelle Napanangka Williams

The Yarla Jukurrpa for Cockatoo Creek belongs to the men of the Japaljarri/Jungarrayi subsections and the Napaljarri/Nungarrayi women. It comes from an area to the east of Yuendumu Community, approximately 300km from Alice Springs in Central Australia. Yarla or Bush Potato are fibrous tubers that grow beneath a low spreading plant [Ipomea Costatal], found by looking for cracks in the ground. The edible tubers grow from roots (Yartura) which seek out moisture to spout new plants. Yarla are good to eat, when cooked they are really soft and tasty.

The Dreaming or Jukurrpa tells of Yarla and Wapirti ancestors fighting a big battle in this area. The specific site associated with Yarla Jukurrpa from Cockatoo Creek is a Mulju or water soakage called Ngarparapunyu. In contemporary Warlpiri paintings traditional iconography is used to represent the Jukurrpa, associated sites and other elements. The curved lines of the Kuruwarri represent the Ngamarna from which grow Jinjirla. Digging sticks are usually represented as straight lines, these are used by women to dig for bush tucker like Yarla and Wapirti which are found underground.