Johnny Japaljarri Brown-Possum

The Wati Jarra Jukurrpa (two men Dreaming) belongs to Japaljarri/Jungarrayi men and Napaljarri/Nungarrayi women. The painting depicts the journey of a father and son performing initiation ceremonies for young men. Both men and women executed ceremonies as part of the young men’s initiation ceremony. The men dragged heavy bushes from the sites of Purrpalala, Yanjirlpiri. In this site there is a low hill and a water soakage. The men wear ‘jinjirla’ (feathers) on both sides of their heads. They also wear wooden carvings of stars which are also laid out on the ground as part of the sand paintings produced for ‘kurlkurlpa’ (business). Their bodies are painted with white and black circles, representing stars. The ‘witi’ poles (ceremonial spears) are tied to the legs of the young initiates. ‘Ngalyipi’ (snake vine) is collected and used to tie the ‘witi’ poles to the legs of the initiates or vertically to the shins of the dancing initiates. In contemporary Warlpiri paintings traditional iconography is used to represent the Jukurrpa, particular sites and other elements. In paintings of this Dreaming, concentric circles are often used to represent the ‘yanjirlpiri’ (stars) painted on the men’s bodies while straight lines are frequently used to represent the ‘witi’ poles.