Description
This painting depicts the Pamapardu Jukurrpa (Flying Ant
Dreaming) from Wapurtali, west of Yuendumu. ‘Pamapardu’ is
the Warlpiri name for the flying ants or termites that build the
large anthills found throughout Warlpiri country. This country
belongs to Nakamarra/Napurrurla women and
Jakamarra/Jupurrurla men. ‘Pamapardu’ are flying ants. They
build earth mounds (‘mingkirri’) that are common in the Tanami
area. When heavy rains come in summer the ‘mingkirri’ get
flooded out, so the ‘pamapardu’ grow wings and fly off to make
new homes, following their queens to dry mounds or to build a
new. When they have found their new home they drop their
wings. In this stage they can be collected, lightly cooked in coals
and eaten. As they fall to the ground women collect them to eat
because they are nice and sweet. In contemporary Warlpiri
paintings traditional iconography is used to represent the
Jukurrpa, particular sites and other elements. When this
Jukurrpa story is painted concentric circles are used to
represent the ‘mingkirri’ and the rockholes involved in the story,
including the central one at Wapurtali (Mt Singleton). Dashes
are often depicted around the circles to represent the
‘pamapardu’.
