Description
This Jukurrpa comes from Mina Mina, country sacred to Napangardi and Napanangka women and far to the west of Yuendumu. Karntakurlangu means literally ‘belonging to women’. Ancestral women danced at Mina Mina and ‘karlangu’ (digging sticks) rose up out of the ground. The women collected these and travelled on, dancing and creating many places as they went. The custodians of this Dreaming are Napangardi/Napanangka women and Japangardi/Japanangka men. In Warlpiri traditional paintings iconography is used to represent the Jukurrpa and other elements. In many paintings of this Jukurrpa, sinuous lines are used to represent the ‘ngalyipi’ (snake vine [Tinospora smilacina]) a rope-like creeper used as a ceremonial wrap, as rope and as a strap to carry ‘parrajas’ (wooden food carriers). Circles and roundels are used to represent ‘jinparnta’ (edible fungus [Elderia arenivaga]) which the women gathered for sustenance on their long journey which eventually took them beyond Warlpiri country.