Description
This Yarla Jukurrpa belongs to men of the
Japaljarri/Jungarrayi subsections and to
Napaljarri/Nungarrayi women. It comes from an area to the
east of Yuendumu called Cockatoo Creek. ‘Yarla’ (bush
potato [Ipomea costata]) are fibrous tubers that grow
beneath a low spreading plant, found by looking for cracks
in the ground. This edible tuber grows from ‘yartura’ (roots)
which seek out moisture to spout new plants. Yarla are
good to eat, when cooked they are really soft and tasty. The
Jukurrpa tells of ‘yarla’ and ‘wapir’ (bush carrot [Vigna
lanceolata]) ancestors fighting a big battle in this area. The
specific site associated with this painting is a ‘mulju’ (water
soakage) called Ngarparapunyu. In contemporary Warlpiri
paintings traditional iconography is used to represent the
Jukurrpa, associated sites and other elements. The curved
lines of the ‘kuruwarri’ (ceremonial designs) represent the
‘ngamarna’ (vine-like tendrils) from which grow ‘jinjirla’
(flowers). ‘Karlangu’ (digging sticks) are usually represented
as straight lines. ‘Karlangu’are used by women to dig for bush
tucker like Yarla and Wapir which are found underground.
