BLUE LIGHTNING DREAMING -
To us colour is sacred and powerful and ownership of different colours is accorded to specific Aboriginal nations. As the living custodian of the "Blue Lightning", I am the only artist permitted to paint this important Dreaming, which originates from my Father's traditional homeland, Winparrku.
The Blue Lightning Dreaming story is about two of the most beautiful women in the Dreamtime. They were sisters from the Walpiri nation of Central Australia and their beauty was widely known. One day a group of men from the Pitjantjatjarra nation tried to get the sisters to come to them.
They made red lightning and when the sisters saw it in the sky they became hypnotized and started to walk towards the men far off in the distance. As the red lightning was crackling in the sky my ancestor, an old magic man from Winparrku heard all the commotion and sought to investigate.
To his left he saw the red lightning and looking to his right, he noticed in the distance the two sisters walking in a trance.
Realising that the men were trying to lure the women, he immediately sent down a bolt of brilliant blue lightning, which broke the spell. The women were saved and became his wives. Walangari Karntawarra 2010
Painting Stories
SONGLINES 101
Songlines are present throughout Aboriginal culture. Because we had no need for maps, we devised a system of songs. We call them Songlines and they are pieced together to form maps in the mind. The songs tell us the location of food, medicine, shelter, scared sites and water. If you know all the songs you can even locate your family.
BLUE LIGHTNING DREAMING 101
To us colour is sacred and powerful and ownership of different colours is accorded to specific Aboriginal Australian nations. As the living custodian of the Blue Lightning I am the only one permitted to paint this important dreaming which originates from my father's traditional homeland, Winparrku.
The Blue Lightning Dreaming story is about two of the most beautiful women in the Dreamtime. They were sisters from the Walpiri nation of Central Australia and their beauty was widely known. One day a group of men from the Pitjantjatjarra nation tried to get the sisters to come to them.
They made red lightning and when the sisters saw it in the sky they became hypnotized and started to walk towards the men far off in the distance. As the red lightning was crackling in the sky my ancestor, an old magic man from Winparrku heard all the commotion and sought to investigate.
To his left he saw the red lightning and looking to his right, he noticed in the distance the two sisters walking in a trance.
Realising that the men were trying to lure the women, he immediately sent down a bolt of brilliant blue lightning, which broke the spell. The women were saved and became his wives.
TEACHING AND LEARNING 101
In traditional Aboriginal culture you need to be very well educated and it was not uncommon for people to speak many languages. Knowing all the medicinal plants and how to prepare them was needed for survival. Learning all the songs and their words was like memorising an entire map in your head. To have knowledge is a right for all of us wherever you come from.
JUKURRPA CREATION DREAMING 101
At the core of our Aboriginal culture are our creation stories. We have many names for creation but the word most often used is "Jukurrpa". Jukurrpa is a very complex concept that encompasses all things. To us both creation and evolution occurred together and continue to this very second.
SEVEN SISTERS DREAMING 092
The Seven Sisters are the constellation of Pleiades and are the 7 wives of Jakamarra, Orion. My skin name is Jakamarra and they are my promised wives. Their skin name is Napaljarri.
Exhibition visual list of works and painting stories available by email.
