Andrea Nungarrayi Martin

The Warlawurru Jukurrpa (wedge-tailed eagle [Aquila audax] Dreaming) belongs to two places called Wakurlpa and Yuwarli, both to the north of Yuendumu. At Yuwarli, the site which is shown here, a Warlawurru made a ‘mina’ (nest) in a tree and laid two ‘ngipiri’ (eggs). From this place the ‘warlawurru’ would fly around searching for prey, up to the size of young kangaroos and emus. ‘Warlawurru’ would also travel to Ngatirri, near Purturlu, looking for food. The custodians for the Warlawurru Jukurrpa are Japaljarri/Jungarrayi men and Napaljarri/Nungarrayi women. This Jukurrpa is an important part of the initiation ceremonies for young men of the Japaljarri and Jungarrayi subsection. In contemporary Warlpiri paintings traditional iconography is used to represent the Jukurrpa, particular sites and other elements. In paintings depicting this Dreaming, ‘warlawurru’ nests are typically represented by concentric circles and their ‘ngipiri’ and ‘wirliya’ (tracks) are often shown as graphic representations of those elements.