Rachel Jurra Napaljarri

This painting shows 2 separate cave systems in the Tanami Desert region of the Northern Territory in Warlpiri tribal country. The caves are shown as connected roundels. The sandhill country around is shown by the parallel rows of dots. Rachel’s use of multicoloured dots is unique to just a handful of Western Desert women artists and they give a delightful 3-D effect to her work. The central motifs show women performing a ceremonial dance. The dance ground is shown as the light coloured dotted area. The women are from two different skingroups – perhaps Napaltjarri and Napanangka. The U symbols are the women.One group are dancing with their wooden bowls (coolamons). The middle circular element is the campsite and the 2 long lines are the lines formed in the ground as the women shuffle sideways as they dance.