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Papunya Tjupi facilitates an annual multi-day bush trip for artists to paint on Country, and in 2017 went to Karrinyarra, the country of Isobel Gorey's, founding Papunya Tjupi artist and director, Grandfather. The days were filled with visits to the spring, rockholes, sandhills, dancing, singing, cooking, collecting yalka (bush onion) and rumiya (goanna), laughing, stories, camping under the trees and afternoons of painting canvas’. When asked about this work, Isobel Major Nampitjinpa says "there’s a lot of things in the Country: road, sandhill, watiya (trees). There’s a lot in my mind when I went on that big bush trip. My kind of style I did it." She also recalls that "trees around everywhere were all burnt. When I seen that bushfire, that’s how I did it on my painting." The trip to Karrinyarra took place after a recent bushfire, the blaze of which could be seen from Papunya, and Isobel said "the bushfire had already happened. When we were at Papunya we saw the bushfire and then after that we went to Karrinyarra. Bushfire, that’s how I was thinking and doing that painting, like one of them trees and all them trees, the burning trees and some was like kind of orange and yellow." In order to represent the burnt trees Isobel recalls "I used a brush and when you put the tip on the container and mix brown, yellow, green and made the trees." Isobel also depicts the sandhills and road present in the Karrinyarra landscape; "That orange is sandhills. Those dots are the sandhills, I used a stick to do the thick dots and the small dots and in the middle there’s that brown which is the road going away from the camp."

This piece is part of a body of work created during the forced closure of the art centre due to COVID-19 imposed restrictions, which also saw the closure of roads to and from Papunya Community for two months. Whilst staying put in Papunya, Papunya Tjupi's most sought after artists wished to continue painting from their homes, persevering through the uncertainty. Created in an informal setting, each work presents the artists unique and highly developed styles on a paired back canvas. Maureen has depicted the Kalipinypa landscape which features the lake, tali (sandhills), spinifex, rocks and roads. Kalipinypa is an important Water Dreaming site Northwest of Kintore.

In this painting Emily has depicted designs associated with the Janmarda Tjukurrpa (Onion Dreaming) site of Karrinyarra (Central Mt Wedge). Karinyarra is two hours drive North West of the remote Aboriginal community of Papunya, Northern Territory, where there is a large salt lake and sacred spring. At certain times of year the surrounds become covered with bush onion grass creating a creamy texture across the landscape. Women dig at the grass to find the bush onion that grows at the roots. The bush onions are gathered and cooked on the coals of the fire. Once they are cool enough to be held they are rubbed between the hands so that the outer shell comes away revealing the lovely sweet small onion underneath.

In this work Leemyn has depicted hunting on his Country. He depicts Tjilirra (traditionally carved tools). Once essential items for survival in the western desert, these items still hold value today as powerful symbols of protection.

This painting depicts the Tali (Sandhills) at Kalipinypa, North-east of Kintore. Kalipinypa is Pricilla's family's country. Kalipinypa is the story of a rain and hail making ceremony. Ancestral forces are invoked to bring on a powerful storm with lightning, thunderclouds and rain sending a deluge to rejuvenate the earth, filling the rock holes, clay pans and creeks and creating new life and growth upon the land. Today the Nakamarra, Tjakamarra, Napurrula and Tjupurrula men and women are the custodians of this important Water Dreaming site and celebrate its stories in the ceremonies. Many artists in Pricilla's family paint different aspects of this story. Pricilla is particularly inspired by her aunty Charlotte Phillipus (an established artist and director of Papunya Tjupi) who also focusses on the sandhills of the site, and seeing these sandhills flash with lightning.

The painting depicts designs connected to Kapi Tjukurrpa (Water Dreaming) at Kalipinypa, a sacred site northwest of the Aboriginal Community of Kintore in the Central Western Desert of Australia. The tjukurrpa tells of an important rain making ceremony to invoke the elements. It is a powerful storm bringing on the lightning, thunderclouds and rain sending its deluge to rejuvenate the earth, filling rock holes, clay pans and creeks. It has the power to create new life and growth upon the land. There is a lightning strike at this place. In this tjukurrpa the angular shapes represent the dryness of the kapi tjukitji (waterhole). Alice talks of having no spring water in this site. The arrow shapes represent the footprints of the white heron that frequent the site. The custodians for this tjukurrpa are Nakamarra, Tjakamarra, Naparula and Tjaparulla skin subsections.

The painting depicts designs associated with Kapi Tjukurrpa (Water Dreaming) at Kalipinypa, a site northwest of Kintore. The tjukurrpa tells of an important rain making ceremony to invoke the elements. It is a powerful storm bringing on the lightning, thunderclouds and rain sending its deluge to rejuvenate the earth, filling rock holes, clay pans and creeks. It has the power to create new life and growth upon the land.

The painting tells the story of the rain and hail making ceremony for the site of Kalipinypa. Ancestral forces are invoked to bring on a powerful storm with lightning, thunderclouds and rain sending a deluge to rejuvenate the earth, filling the rock holes, clay pans and creeks and creating new life and growth upon the land. Today the Nakamarra, Tjakamarra, Napurrula and Tjupurrula men and women are the custodians of this important Water Dreaming site and celebrate its stories in the ceremonies. Watson says that the lines represent the water travelling into the waterholes, as well as rain and hail brought be the storm.

This painting depicts the Kapi Tjukurrpa (Water Dreaming) at Kalipinypa, North-east of Kintore. The painting tells the story of the rain and hail making ceremony for the site of Kalipinypa. Ancestral forces are invoked to bring on a powerful storm with lightning, thunderclouds and rain sending a deluge to rejuvenate the earth, filling the rock holes, clay pans and creeks and creating new life and growth upon the land. Today the custodians of this important Water Dreaming site celebrate its stories in ceremonies.

Nyunmanu is a Dingo Dreaming site just to the south east of the remote Aboriginal community of Kintore in the Northern Territory. Most of the dingoes and their pups from this place rose up into the sky and became stars. However, the ancestral mother Dingo and her pup had gone out hunting and were too tired to rise up, so they turned into a large rock that marks the place of this sacred Dreaming. It is said that if you sleep in this place you will dream of the ancestral dingo puppies. The story goes that if you remove one of the gleaming stones found at Nyunmanu, the puppies will haunt your dreams until you return it to the place where it belongs. The custodians of this Tjukurrpa are Nungarrayi, Tjungarrayi, Napaltjarri and Tjapaltjarri women and men. The circles in this story often represent important waterholes. The roundels extending from the circles are the designs the women paint on their breasts during ceremony.

This story relates to a place called Mikantji, an important Water Dreaming site west of the remote Aboriginal community of Yuendumu in the Northern Territory. The custodians of this sacred place are the Nangala and Nampitjimpa women and their brothers, the Tjangala and Tjampitjimpa men. The painting tells how the women perform ceremonies or inma celebrating the creation of the Mikantji site by the storm ancestors. If present, the U shapes are women, the circles are waterholes, the long sinuous lines are creeks, and the short curved lines are puuli or hills.

In this painting Emily has depicted designs associated with the Janmarda Tjukurrpa (Onion Dreaming) site of Karrinyarra (Central Mt Wedge). Karinyarra is two hours drive North West of the remote Aboriginal community of Papunya, Northern Territory, where there is a large salt lake and sacred spring. At certain times of year the surrounds become covered with bush onion grass creating a creamy texture across the landscape. Women dig at the grass to find the bush onion that grows at the roots. The bush onions are gathered and cooked on the coals of the fire. Once they are cool enough to be held they are rubbed between the hands so that the outer shell comes away revealing the lovely sweet small onion underneath.

Tilau paints the story of the great Water Dreaming site of Mikantji which she inherited from her father. Tilau is a senior law woman. Her deeply felt knowledge of country and ceremony empowers her bold lyrical and expressive paintings depicting the topography of hills and creeks that create the feeling of flowing water. Mikantji is west of the remote Aboriginal community of Yuendumu in the Northern Territory. The custodians of this sacred place are the Nangala and Nampitjimpa women and their brothers, the Tjangala and Tjampitjimpa men. The painting tells how the women perform ceremonies or inma celebrating the creation of the Mikantji site by the storm ancestors. Tilau has painted kungka (women, represented by U shapes), ngati (waterholes, represented by circles), caru (creeks, represented by the long sinuous lines), puuli (hills, represented by the short curved lines). Tilau says her auntie taught her culture and stories but she developed her own ideas on how to paint it. She paints "so the children can watch me paint and learn, so I can pass on my Dreaming and stories to my grandchildren”. If present, the U shapes are women, the circles are waterholes, the long sinuous lines are creeks, and the short curved lines are puuli or hills.

Melinda has used the wild flowers that grow in the Central desert country as an inspiration for this painting.

This story relates to a place called Mikantji, an important Water Dreaming site, west of Yuendumu whose custodians are the Nangala and Nampitjimpa women and their brothers, the Tjangala and Tjampitjimpa men. The painting tells how the women perform ceremonies or inma celebrating the creation of the Mikantji site by the storm ancestors. The circle in the centre represents the soakage at Mikantji and the U shapes are the women sitting around it. The dots represent the raindrops and the wavy lines are the streams of water running into the soakage. These designs are also used painted on the women’s bodies during the ceremonies.

In this painting Deannie has depicted her country. This painting depicts the Kapi Tjukurrpa (Water Dreaming) at Kalipinypa, North-east of Kintore. The painting tells the story of the rain and hail making ceremony for the site of Kalipinypa. Ancestral forces are invoked to bring on a powerful storm with lightning, thunderclouds and rain sending a deluge to rejuvenate the earth, filling the rock holes, clay pans and creeks and creating new life and growth upon the land. Today the custodians of this important Water Dreaming site celebrate its stories in ceremonies.

This story relates to a place called Mikantji, an important Water Dreaming site, west of Yuendumu whose custodians are the Nangala and Nampitjimpa women and their brothers, the Tjangala and Tjampitjimpa men. The painting tells how the women perform ceremonies or inma celebrating the creation of the Mikantji site by the storm ancestors.If present, the U shapes are women, circlesa are waterholes, long sinuous lines are creeks, and short curved lines are puuli or hills.

In this painting, Snowy is depicting women sitting around a Honey Ant (Tjupi) hive, digging for the sweet bush food. There are lots of kids waiting around for them to find some. The horseshoe shapes represent the women and children, where the straight lines represent their digging sticks (kuturru). The circular shapes represent the ants' hive. Tjupi have special significance for Papunya, which is a Honey Ant Dreaming (Tjupi Tjukurrpa) site, part of a larger story that runs from South Australia to Papunya.

This painting tells one of many water dreamings from the Papunya area. The circles represent important water or rock hole sites. The background design symbolises the landscape after the rains when the earth has been replenished with new growth. The rock holes collect the water during the rains. Knowledge of where to find water is handed down from generation to generation to ensure survival in the desert. This work represents the elements of a storm - wind, rain, thunderclouds and lightning. It also tells the story of rain and water flowing from the waterholes and flooding the usually dry creek beds.The U shapes are the women sitting around the rock holes.

Here Duncan has painted the Tjukurrpa (Dreaming) he inherits from his Grandfather Turkey Toulson. Turkey was a pioneer of the Western Desert Dot painting movement and more specifically of works with strong line work.

In this painting Deannie has depicted her country. This painting depicts the Kapi Tjukurrpa (Water Dreaming) at Kalipinypa, North-east of Kintore. The painting tells the story of the rain and hail making ceremony for the site of Kalipinypa. Ancestral forces are invoked to bring on a powerful storm with lightning, thunderclouds and rain sending a deluge to rejuvenate the earth, filling the rock holes, clay pans and creeks and creating new life and growth upon the land. Today the custodians of this important Water Dreaming site celebrate its stories in ceremonies.

In this painting, Snowy is depicting women sitting around a Honey Ant (Tjupi) hive, digging for the sweet bush food. There are lots of kids waiting around for them to find some. The horseshoe shapes represent the women and children, where the straight lines represent their digging sticks (kuturru). The circular shapes represent the ants' hive. Tjupi have special significance for Papunya, which is a Honey Ant Dreaming (Tjupi Tjukurrpa) site, part of a larger story that runs from South Australia to Papunya.

This story was passed onto Watson by his father and grandfather. Tjunti is west of Nirrapi and is a wallaby dreaming place. The wallabies travel around Tjunti following the tracks that lead between the waterholes. There is a rock that marks the spot of the ancestral dreaming place of the wallaby. The Tjungarayai and Tjapaltjarri men are the custodians of this tjukurrpa.

In this Painting Rosena has depicted a story from her country Kumunmata, near Napairi. In this story, two women are collecting Bush Tucker and performing ceremonies as they travelled around Kunmunmata.

In this painting Emily has depicted designs associated with the Janmarda Tjukurrpa (Onion Dreaming) site of Karrinyarra (Central Mt Wedge). Karinyarra is two hours drive North West of the remote Aboriginal community of Papunya, Northern Territory, where there is a large salt lake and sacred spring. At certain times of year the surrounds become covered with bush onion grass creating a creamy texture across the landscape. Women dig at the grass to find the bush onion that grows at the roots. The bush onions are gathered and cooked on the coals of the fire. Once they are cool enough to be held they are rubbed between the hands so that the outer shell comes away revealing the lovely sweet small onion underneath.

Keanu has painted Yalka Tjukurrpa (bush onion dreaming) which was his Grandfather Limpi Tjapangarti Puntungka's Tjukurrpa. Keanu is too young to have learned through consultation with his Grandfather, and so learns through revision of books documenting the early paintings of Papunya. This Tjukurrpa descends from a powerful site near Tjunkupu which is near Winparku. If present, there are four women shown, looking into a large hole in the earth. The water travels underneath the ground from many different places to create a soakage in the centre. "When you see that water and that rock... big water in that rock...too powerful, too dangerous".

This painting depicts Water Dreaming at Kalipinypa, a sacred site north-east of the remote Aboriginal community of Kintore, Northern Territory. The painting tells the story of the rain and hail making ceremony for the site of Kalipinypa. Ancestral forces are invoked to bring on a powerful storm with lightning, thunderclouds and rain, which sends a deluge to rejuvenate the earth, filling the rock holes, clay pans and creeks and creating new life and growth upon the land. Today the Nakamarra, Tjakamarra, Napurrula and Tjupurrula men and women are the custodians of this important Water Dreaming site and celebrate its stories in the ceremonies. The forms created by the repetition of lines represent the sandhills making waves across the desert, but Charlotte says they are also symbolic of water courses and ceremonial body paint.

This painting depicts the marapulpa tjukurrpa - spider dreaming. This dreaming tracks tunnels dug by spiders from a site north-west of Yuendemu to a place west of Kintore. These tunnels allowed ancestral wallabies to travel from one place to the other. Selwyn inherited this story from his late grandfather, Willy Nakanbala Tjungurrayi. Tjungurrayi and Tjapaltjarri men are custodians for this story.

Ena has represented puuli (hills) around Lupul in the Kintore region of the Northern Territory. The Tjukurrpa or dreaming associated with this sighttells of the rainbow serpent travelling across the country, bringing with it a great electrical storm which created the ancestral land. This story was passed to her by her father Long Tom Tjapanangka, who also painted this story.

In this painting, Snowy is depicting women sitting around a Honey Ant (Tjupi) hive, digging for the sweet bush food. There are lots of kids waiting around for them to find some. The horseshoe shapes represent the women and children, where the straight lines represent their digging sticks (kuturru). The circular shapes represent the ants' hive. Tjupi have special significance for Papunya, which is a Honey Ant Dreaming (Tjupi Tjukurrpa) site, part of a larger story that runs from South Australia to Papunya.

In this painting Emily has depicted designs associated with the Janmarda Tjukurrpa (Onion Dreaming) site of Karrinyarra (Central Mt Wedge). Karinyarra is two hours drive North West of the remote Aboriginal community of Papunya, Northern Territory, where there is a large salt lake and sacred spring. At certain times of year the surrounds become covered with bush onion grass creating a creamy texture across the landscape. Women dig at the grass to find the bush onion that grows at the roots. The bush onions are gathered and cooked on the coals of the fire. Once they are cool enough to be held they are rubbed between the hands so that the outer shell comes away revealing the lovely sweet small onion underneath.

In this painting, Snowy is depicting women sitting around a Honey Ant (Tjupi) hive, digging for the sweet bush food. There are lots of kids waiting around for them to find some. The horseshoe shapes represent the women and children, where the straight lines represent their digging sticks (kuturru). The circular shapes represent the ants' hive. Tjupi have special significance for Papunya, which is a Honey Ant Dreaming (Tjupi Tjukurrpa) site, part of a larger story that runs from South Australia to Papunya.

In this painting, Snowy is depicting women sitting around a Honey Ant (Tjupi) hive, digging for the sweet bush food. There are lots of kids waiting around for them to find some. The horseshoe shapes represent the women and children, where the straight lines represent their digging sticks (kuturru). The circular shapes represent the ants' hive. Tjupi have special significance for Papunya, which is a Honey Ant Dreaming (Tjupi Tjukurrpa) site, part of a larger story that runs from South Australia to Papunya.

Here Duncan has painted the Tjukurrpa (Dreaming) he inherits from his Grandfather Turkey Toulson. Turkey was a pioneer of the Western Desert Dot painting movement and more specifically of works with strong line work.

Herman is telling the story of the Tjupi or Honey Ants. The story of the Honey Ant is told across the Northern Territory and into South Australia. Not only a highly favoured food source, the Honey Ant is an important link between the Anangu people’s mythology and inter-dependence on the environment. The Honey Ant Ancestors are strongly associated with the country around Papunya. When Aboriginal people go looking for Honey Ants they look for ant tunnels that lead down to the ants’ nest, about a metre under Mulga trees. The Honey Ant tunnels that lead down to the ant's nests are called nyinantu and the larvae are called ipilyka-ipilyka. When they find them, they shovel and dig down, following the tunnels to find the Honey Ants inside. They suck the honey nectar from the abdomen of the Honey Ant.The circles in this dreaming often represent sites where the people are digging for honey ants, with the U shapes being people.

Keanu has painted Yalka Tjukurrpa (bush onion dreaming) which was his Grandfather Limp Tjapangarti Puntungka's Tjukurrpa. Keanu is too young to have learned through consultation with his Grandfather, and so learns through revision of books documenting the early paintings of Papunya. This Tjukurrpa descends from a powerful site near Tjukunpu which is near Tjunkupu. "When you see that water and that rock... big water in that rock...too powerful".

This painting tells the story of Tjilirra (traditionally carved tools). On one side of the painting is a kali, and on the other a 'number seven' boomerang. In the centre of the canvas is a coolamon (carrying dish). Once essential items for survival in the western desert, these items still hold value today as powerful symbols of protection.

This painting depicts Possum Tjukurrpa (dreaming), Kayman's Tjukurrpa which he traces from North-West of Papunya, the country of his Mothers ancestors. Each of the colours represent different elements of the Possums habitat whilst he hunts for ants. The yellow and the red represent Tali (sandhills), the green represents Tjanpi (spinifex) and the blue represents Kapi (water).

This painting tells the story of Tjilirra (traditionally carved tools). On one side of the painting is a kali, and on the other a 'number seven' boomerang. In the centre of the canvas is a coolamon (carrying dish). Once essential items for survival in the western desert, these items still hold value today as powerful symbols of protection.

This painting depicts a rockhole or waterhole in the Western Desert country. The rockhole is represented by the concentric circles, and the dots represent the new growth that comes from the water.

The painting depicts designs associated with Kapi Tjukurrpa (Water Dreaming) at Kalipinypa, a site northwest of Kintore. The tjukurrpa tells of an important rain making ceremony to invoke the elements. It is a powerful storm bringing on the lightning, thunderclouds and rain sending its deluge to rejuvenate the earth, filling rock holes, clay pans and creeks. It has the power to create new life and growth upon the land.

This painting depicts the Kapi Tjukurrpa (Water Dreaming) at Kalipinypa, North-east of Kintore. The painting tells the story of the rain and hail making ceremony for the site of Kalipinypa. Ancestral forces are invoked to bring on a powerful storm with lightning, thunderclouds and rain sending a deluge to rejuvenate the earth, filling the rock holes, clay pans and creeks and creating new life and growth upon the land. Today the custodians of this important Water Dreaming site celebrate its stories in ceremonies.

In this painting Emily has depicted designs associated with the Janmarda Tjukurrpa (Onion Dreaming) site of Karrinyarra (Central Mt Wedge). Karinyarra is two hours drive North West of the remote Aboriginal community of Papunya, Northern Territory, where there is a large salt lake and sacred spring. At certain times of year the surrounds become covered with bush onion grass creating a creamy texture across the landscape. Women dig at the grass to find the bush onion that grows at the roots. The bush onions are gathered and cooked on the coals of the fire. Once they are cool enough to be held they are rubbed between the hands so that the outer shell comes away revealing the lovely sweet small onion underneath.

In this painting Emily has depicted designs associated with the Janmarda Tjukurrpa (Onion Dreaming) site of Karrinyarra (Central Mt Wedge). Karinyarra is two hours drive North West of the remote Aboriginal community of Papunya, Northern Territory, where there is a large salt lake and sacred spring. At certain times of year the surrounds become covered with bush onion grass creating a creamy texture across the landscape. Women dig at the grass to find the bush onion that grows at the roots. The bush onions are gathered and cooked on the coals of the fire. Once they are cool enough to be held they are rubbed between the hands so that the outer shell comes away revealing the lovely sweet small onion underneath.

In this painting Emily has depicted designs associated with the Janmarda Tjukurrpa (Onion Dreaming) site of Karrinyarra (Central Mt Wedge). Karinyarra is two hours drive North West of the remote Aboriginal community of Papunya, Northern Territory, where there is a large salt lake and sacred spring. At certain times of year the surrounds become covered with bush onion grass creating a creamy texture across the landscape. Women dig at the grass to find the bush onion that grows at the roots. The bush onions are gathered and cooked on the coals of the fire. Once they are cool enough to be held they are rubbed between the hands so that the outer shell comes away revealing the lovely sweet small onion underneath.

This painting tells one of many water dreamings from the Papunya area. The circles represent important water or rock hole sites. The background design symbolises the landscape after the rains when the earth has been replenished with new growth. The rock holes collect the water during the rains. Knowledge of where to find water is handed down from generation to generation to ensure survival in the desert. This work represents the elements of a storm - wind, rain, thunderclouds and lightning. It also tells the story of rain and water flowing from the waterholes and flooding the usually dry creek beds. If present, the U shapes are the women sitting around the rock holes.

In this painting, Snowy is depicting women sitting around a Honey Ant (Tjupi) hive, digging for the sweet bush food. There are lots of kids waiting around for them to find some. The horseshoe shapes represent the women and children, where the straight lines represent their digging sticks (kuturru). The circular shapes represent the ants' hive. Tjupi have special significance for Papunya, which is a Honey Ant Dreaming (Tjupi Tjukurrpa) site, part of a larger story that runs from South Australia to Papunya.

This story was passed onto Watson by his father and grandfather. Tjunti is west of Nirrapi and is a wallaby dreaming place. The wallabies travel around Tjunti following the tracks that lead between the waterholes. There is a rock that marks the spot of the ancestral dreaming place of the wallaby. The Tjungarayai and Tjapaltjarri men are the custodians of this tjukurrpa.

Keanu has painted Yalka Tjukurrpa (bush onion dreaming) which was his Grandfather Limpi Tjapangarti Puntungka's Tjukurrpa. Given the age of the artist, his practice is informed by a thorough revision of the books documenting the early paintings of Papunya. This Tjukurrpa descends from a powerful site near Tjunkupu which is associated with the intersection of two complex songlines, three sites of which the artist identifies as belonging to. They run from Tjunkupu, through to Winparku and Papunya. Anamarra (Catapillar) is also present at Tjunkupu and runs along the MacDonnell ranges through to Alice Springs. Four ancestral heroes are represented at Tjunkupu, namely the Tjupi, Dog, Serpent and two men lying down. Keanu represents the different elements of this songline in varied ways. If present, there are four women shown, looking into a large hole in the earth. The water travels underneath the ground from many different places to create a soakage in the centre. "When you see that water and that rock... big water in that rock...too powerful, too dangerous".

In this work Carbiene depicts four dreaming stories which he inherited from his father. These tjukurrpa are associated with a series of waterholes running between Docker River and Kata Tjuta. Specifically, it includes four important sites: Petermann Ranges, Docker River, Kalaya Murrpu (Blood's Range) and Mulyayti near Kata Tjuta. As a young man, Carbiene returned to these places and retraced the footsteps of his father. These memories stay with him vividly today.