Milpirri Banner - WARLUKURLANGU (Fire Dreaming)

Dreaming

Warlukurlangu.  Warlu (Fire) and kurlangu 

Belonging to Skin Groups

Jangala, Jampijinpa, Nangala and Nampijinpa (Blue Group) 

Place

This dreaming moved across the Mungkururrpa Aboriginal Land Trust (also known as Tanami Downs) from west to east.  The Fire Dreaming interacted with other Dreamings in the region such as Wirntiki.

See the Milpirri Wirntiki (Bush Stone Curlew) banner - Photos / Information

Find Tanami Downs Station Homestead - Map

Drawn By

Pardi Pardi (Henry Jakamarra Cook), and Jerry Jangala Patrick in 2012.  However, the Traditional Owners are Henry Jampijinpa Burns and family.

Family

In Lajamanu speak with Henry Jampijinpa Burns and family and the Kelly Family. Lesley Jampijinpa Robertson has also assisted this family in relation to Warlu dreaming.

Kurdungurlu

Silvia Napanangka, Sean Japanangka and Lillian Napanangka Johnson.

Traditional use

The fire-saw (Jimanya) was a traditional method of lighting fires.

Jimanypa warlu, jimanypa kujakarnalu ngarrirni, ngulakarlipa warlu luwarni - jimanypaju. Jimanypa watiya. Watiyarlangu, kurdijirlangu. Jimanypaju. Ngula-jangka ka warlulku rduyu-karri - kunjuru. Ngula karnalu marnakurra yirrarni. Warlulku ka rduyu-karri kunjuru, jarra-pardilki ka kunjurujangkaju - warluju. Jimanypawarnuju.

Fire-sawing, what we call fire-sawing is when we make fire by friction - fire-sawing. The fire-saw is wood. It is made of wood like a shield for instance. As a result of fire-sawing fire rises as smoke. Then we transfer it to dry grass. The fire then smoulders and smoke rises, then the fire bursts into flame from the smoke. As a result of the fire-sawing.

Dictionary Source: Laughren, M., K. L. Hale, and Warlpiri Lexicology Group, 2005 Warlpiri-English Encyclopaedic Dictionary. (Accessed Via Kirrkirr Interface to Electronic Files.) University of Queensland

Two Aranda men in Central Australia rubbing the sharp edge of a hardwood spear-thrower over a softwood shield to make an ember using the fire-saw method - Photo

Warlpiri Language

Warlu can mean heat/or source of heat or literally a fire.

Warlu yurlpulyparluju jangkaja.
The (hot) ashes burned me.

Warlu ngiji pajurnu.
He broke off a burning stick.

Yulyurdu nyampurlu kampaja - yulyurdurlu warlungku.
This smoke warmed her - the smoke from the fire.

Warlu ka janka.
The fire is burning.

Wampanalu pungu, ngula-jangkaju, yanulkulu. Ngula-jangkaju, purrajalkulu-jana, warlungka. Parlkungkalkulu-jana purraja - jintaku-marrarni.
They killed the Spectacled Hare wallabies, then they set off. Then they cooked them in the fire. They cooked them in a pit - all of them together.

Warlurlupa yingkirnirra, yungungalparla wini-karda jankamirra - kuyuku, wardapiki.
Let's light a fire so that it will burn and turn into bare burnt ground for us, so we can better get ourselves goannas.

Other bits of interest

Lillian Napanangka Johnson (who is one of the Kurdungurlu for warlu) was involved in a community dance project that took place at Lajamanu School in 1989.  The residency involved three arts workers (including Tim Newth) and set out to develop theatrical and visual arts skills with the younger community members, culminating in a performance and tour of communities and schools in Alice Springs. A further tour to Katherine schools, Darwin, and other smaller communities followed. This was the early beginnings of Tracks Dance Companies relationship with Lajamanu.

Find out more about this community residency held in Lajamanu in 1989 - Photos / Story

Find out about more collaborations and performances developed between Lajamanu and Tracks artists since the late 80's - Photos / Story / Videos