Jackie Kurltjunyintja Giles

Tjamu Tjamu is east of Kiwirrkurra. It is the artist’s fathers country and part of the tingarri. There is a rockhole there and it is the place a group of ladies camped with one wati (man). He was the kangaroo ancestor and the ladies were his sisters, aunties, mothers and grandmothers. He wanted all the ladies to be his wives. He came along from the north and called to the ladies to come and camp with him. They wanted to call him Tjamu Tjamu (grandfather, grandson) but he wanted to be called Kurril Kurril (keep as a spouse someone who is not eligible; IAD Press) which is the name given to a rockhole at this place. The kangaroo -malu tjukurrpa continues travelling to Tjutalpi, Witunkuntja, Wirti, Makarra, Millmillpa and Kurryl, this is the artist’s tjukurrpa. Tjukurrpa – physical feature or part of the countryside associated with a dreamtime story; Character from a dreamtime story. (From Ngaanyatjarra and Ngatjatjarra to English Dictionary, IAD Press). Tingarri: song cycle depicting the route of dreamtime people who travelled from the sea near Port Hedland to the northern part of the central desert. It also refers to the route and to the dreamtime people who followed that route. (Source: Ngaanyatjarra to English Dictionary, IAD Press). This painting was exhibited in Desert Mob exhibition at the Araluen Art Centre in Alice Springs, September 2008, by Kayili Artists from Patjarr, WA.