Walangkura Napanangka

This painting depicts designs associated with the rockhole and cave site of Tjintjintjin, just to the west of the Kintore community in the Western Desert.

The shapes in this painting depict the geographical features in the area through which an old woman, Kutungka Napanangka, passed during her travels from Malparinga in the north-west.

At this site, Kutungka knew of an ancestral kunia (snake) that lived underground. She proceeded to dig a hole in search of kunai, eventually locating and killing it. She then cooked it and ate it before continuing her travels east to Muruntji, south-west of Liebig.

At Muruntji, she was accosted by a group of boys. She chased them and caught all but the culprit who managed to escape. She killed the others and cooked them in a fire. She then travelled to Kaltarra where she entered the earth.

Walangkura began painting for Papunya Tula Artists in early 1996, and along with her husband Johnny Yungut Tjupurrula, shares her time between Kintore and Kiwirrkura.