Ngatijirri Jukurrpa (Budgerigar dreaming) - Paddy Japaljarri Stewart 1416/07
Ngatijirri Jukurrpa (Budgerigar dreaming) - Paddy Japaljarri Stewart 1416/07
Acrylic on Canvas 122 x 76 cm
Stretched $4,000
The Jukurrpa site shown in this painting for Ngatijirri (Budgerigar, Melopsittacus undulates) is at Yangarnmpi, south of Yuendumu. Ngatijirri are small, bright green birds native to Central Australia and common around the Yuendemu area, especially after the summer rains. Men would hunt for Ngatijirri nests, robbing them of eggs and juvenile birds which are considered delicacies.
The men would also go out hunting for adult flying Ngatijirri, which they would kill by swinging branches, killing sticks or Karli (boomerangs) to hit the birds in flight.
The Ngatijirri travelled to Yangarnmpi from Patirlirri, near Willowra to the east of Yuendemu and travelled further on to Marngangi, north/west of Mount Dennison and west of Yuendemu.
Each time the flock of ancestral Ngatijirri lands, they perform ceremonies, singing and dancing as they fly and roost in the trees. The sir
tes of these ceremonies are depicted in this painting of concentric circles.
In Warlpiri paintings traditional iconography is used to represent the Jukurrpa, particularly sites and other elements. Cross like shapes depict the footprints of the bird on the ground and give an indication of the large flocks of Ngatijirri that can be found near Yangarnmpi and other sites close to Yuendemu.
After good rains Ngatijirri can successfully breed several times, resulting in an explosion of the population in a short time. Custodians of the Ngatijirri Jukurrpa are Napaljarri/Nungarrayi women and Japaljarri/Jungarrayi men.
