Ngatjirri Jukurrpa

Artist : Artist : Queenie Nungarrayi Stewart  b.1972

Medium : Acrylic on canvas

Dimensions : 122 x 46cm

Ngatjirri Jukurrpa - Budgerigar Dreaming

The Jukurrpa site shown in this painting for Ngatijirri (budgerigar or Melopsittacus undulates) is at Yangarnmpi south of Yuendumu. Yuendumu is a town in the Northern Territory of Australia.

'Ngatijrri' are small bright green birds native to central Australia which are common around the Yuendumu area, especially after the summer rains. The 'ngatijirri' travelled to Yangarnmpi from Patirlirri, near Willowra to the east of Yuendumu and travelled further on to Marngangi, north west of Mount Dennsion and west of Yuendumu. Each time the flock of ancestral 'ngatijrri' lands, they perform ceremonies, singing and dancing as they fly and roost in the trees. The sites of these ceremonies are depicted in this painting as concentric circles, while cross-like shapes depict footprints of the birds on the ground and give an indication of the large flocks of 'ngatijrri' that can be found near Yangarnmpi and other sites near Yuendumu.

Image © Queenie Nungarrayi Stewart
Copyright of artwork and text remains with the artist and Aboriginal traditional owxners, is administered on their behalf and reproduced here with the permission of Warlukurlangu Aboriginal Corporation.