| Medium | Acrylic on Belgian Linen |
| Size | 122cm x 122cm |
Yanjirlpirri Jukurrpa (Star Dreaming)
Yanjirlpirri Jukurrpa (Star Dreaming) This ceremony tells of the journey of Japaljarri and Jungarrayi men who travelled from Kurlurngalinypa (near Lajamanu) to Yanjirlypirri (west of Yuendumu) and then on to Lake Mackay on the West Australian border. Along the way they performed ‘kurdiji’ (initiation ceremonies) for young men. Women also danced for the ‘kurdiji’. The site depicted in this canvas is Yanjirlypiri (star) where there is a low hill and a water soakage. The importance of this place cannot be overemphasized as young boys are brought here to be initiated from as far as Pitjanjatjara country to the south and Lajamanu to the north.
In contemporary Warlpiri paintings traditional iconography is used to represent the Jukurrpa, associated sites and other elements. Often depicted in paintings for this Jukurrpa is the female star Yantarlarangi (Venus – the Evening Star) who chases the seven Napaljarri sisters for having stolen the night from her.
Alma Nungarrayi Granites biography
Alma Nungarrayi Granites lives in Yuendumu, an Aboriginal community located Northwest of Alice Springs. She is the daughter of Paddy Japaljarri Sims and Bessie Nakamarra Sims both founding artists of Warlukurlangu Artists. She paints a large array of stories all of which have been passed down to her from her father and generations before him. All her paintings tell creation stories that relate to the artists traditional country.
Alma is married and has 4 children. She has many, many grandchildren and spends a lot of time helping to take care of them.
Alma attended the local school and then continued her studies at Kormilda College in Darwin. She then finished a Teachers assistant diploma through Batchelor College and worked teaching at Yuendumu school for many years.
She has been painting with Warlukurlangu Artists since 1987. Since 2007 she decided to explore her painting skill in more depth; she started working at the art centre everyday to produce a body of work that has expanded her knowledge of the dreaming (Jukurrpa) as well as the development of her unique technical artistic style. She is a strong participant of Warlukurlangu Artists Aboriginal Corporation.
