Milpirri Banner - MIKANJI NGAPA (Rain dreaming at Mikanji)
Dreaming and Design
Lajamanu elders interpret the small “u” shapes as people lined up on each side sitting down. This could represent the two different rain ancestors fighting at Mikanji. The large curved line is a big rain cloud. This painting might represent the site Mikanji whereas the other Mikanji banner is the dreaming travelling.
Ngapa Yawulyu 'Rain dreaming songs' - Video
Belonging to Skin Groups
Jangala, Jampijinpa, Nangala and Nampijinpa (Blue Group)
Place
Mikanji
Map
See the location of the Mikanji spring on the South Tanami IPA. Either click on the "Jukuurpa Yirdiyi Kari-Yardiyi Kari" tab, or change to English and click on the "Jukurrpa map" tab. Look near the road south of Chilla Well. - Map
Drawn By
Leslie Jampijinpa Robertson 2005
Family
Lajamanu Kelly (Norman Jampijinpa Kelly), Lesly Jampijinpa Robertson, Gallagher in Yuendumu.
Artist Profile
Lesley Jampijinpa Robertson. Jampijinpa’s father’s country was Ngapa Dreaming, but he also has been acting as an elder mentor for the Malikijarra (Two Dog Dreaming) families in the Northern Tanami. Lesley is a strong community leader who has been actively involved in many committees responsible for the governing of Lajamanu. Lesley is a law man and singer and often sings all night for Warlpiri initiation ceremonies. He is a key singer in the Milpirri performance. Jampijinpa is also a founding member of the Warlpiri Law and Justice Group called Kurdiji.
Read some of Lesley’s comments about Kurdiji (on page 6 of this document) - Story
Further Reading
Read about Mikanji in the other Mikanji Milpirri Banner - Photos / Information
Milpirri Banner Design Style
The Milpirri banners stylistically grew out of a collaboration between Lajamanu elder Freddy Jangala Patrick and Tracks artist Tim Newth. In 1989 Tim worked with Lajamanu artists on their first public murals. After completion of one with female elders the men decided it was their turn. After much debate Jangala and Tim started painting Dreaming designs (predominantly Ngapa Dreaming designs) on a water tank outside the Wulaign Outstation centre. Jangala would paint the design in black and Tim would outline the design in colour.
In 1992 for the first Lajamanu/Tracks performance in Darwin 'Lajamanu Kurra Karn Yani', Jangala and Tim created the back drop of three banners depicting three key dreaming for the Lajamanu area. The style found within the first men's mural and these three banners clearly are the basis for the Milpirri banners, even though the first Milpirri performance happened over half a decade after Jangala had passed away.
Read Freddy Jangala Patrick's biography - Story
Read about and see the first Lajamanu murals - Story / Photos
See three banners from performance Lajamanu Kurra Karna Yani and read about the show - Story / Photos
