Milpirri Banner - WARNA (Snake): Yarrpuyungulu

Dreaming

This dreaming is a snake, whose personal name is Yarrpuyungulu. That is the name for the snake and the songline. The snake is called warna in Warlpiri which is a generic term for all poisonous snakes.

Warna (king brown snake) Yarrpuyungulu - Photo

Place

Lindsay Jungarrayi Herbert states that Yarrpuyungulu came from Kunajarriyi (Mount Nicker) heading towards Yartulu-yartulu (Granites).

Find location of Kunajarrayi 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 along the mountain ranges west of Yuendumu - Map

Kinship

Japaljarri, Jungarrayi, Napaljarri and Nungarrayi (Yellow Group)

Drawn By

Lindsay Jungarrayi Herbert, 2005. This Banner is the same Dreaming as the other Yarrpuyungulu Warna banner drawn by Henry Cook Jakamarra. However, Lindsay Jungarrayi Herbert uses a different design.

See the other Yarrpuyungulu Warna banner drawn by Henry Jakamarra Cook - Photos / Information

Wanta Jampijinpa Patrick remembers Mr. Herbert painting this representation of Warna (snake) as a malkarri during the kurdiji initiation ceremony.

Malkarri, ngulaju kalu kurdijirla ngarrirni, yangka kujakalu kuruwarriji yirrarni. Jukurrpa. Jukurrpa yangka warlaljajala kalu yirrarni kurdijiki.
What they call malkarri is the Dreamtime painting they put on a shield. People put their own Dreamings onto shields.

Source: 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

Artist Profile

Lindsay Jungarrayi Herbert (dec) was an artist and important member of the Lajamanu community. He was a motivated leader and an active participant in community politics. He was particularly focused on the Lajamanu Community Council, but also assisted the Ngatijirri group in their negotiations with the gold mining operation at Tanami Mine. He was often a spokesperson for the rights of Aboriginal people, and made statements in relation to government policy and senate enquires and reviews.

"We want to keep our Land Rights Act, we want to keep our decision making things in mining, and in royalties. It's only yes or no. That's all. (Lindsay Herbert Jungarrayi for Reeves report on the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act).

See some art work by Lindsay Jungarrayi Herbert - Photo

Family

To learn more about this dreaming try speaking with members of the Herbert, Barnes, and Payton families or Elizabeth Ross.

Warlpiri Traditional Knowledge

Learn about snakes in the Warlpiri picture book called Warna-patu-kurlu by Ormal Gallagher Nangala, published in 2014 at the Yuendumu School. (English Translation at the end) - Download PDF