2 AM 5050/07
Tiger Palpatja Ngintaka Tjukurpa (Perentie Man Creation Story) 2007
Acrylic on linen 1015 x 760mm $3300
Once, the women of the Mann Ranges had only rough grinding stones, so their grass seed cakes were coarse and
hard to eat. Their men looked everywhere for better stone but without success. One day when Ngintaka, the
Perentie Man, was out hunting a long way to the east he heard a woman grinding seed for the evening meal. He
realised that the sound could only be made by a stone which was fine and smooth, so he resolved to go that
country, steal the stone, and bring it back to his own people. For many days he journeyed toward that sound,
getting nearer and nearer until he ended up in the country of the Nginjuri (Black Lizard) people. He lit a fire within
sight of the main camp. When the Nginjuri men went out to meet the Ngintaka, he didn’t tell them the true
reason for his visit but told them a false story of his journey.

The community shared their food with him, although he was forbidden the main camp for several days. Every
evening a woman brought him a meal of malu (Kangaroo) and grass seed cakes made from the finest flour he had
ever tasted. At last he entered the main camp and saw the grinding stone he had travelled so long for. It was a
wonderful flat-grained sandstone, worn smooth by constant rubbing. He could hardly wait to steal it and take it
back to his own people.

That evening he cut his foot to make the blood flow so he could pretend he had a serious wound. The next
morning when the Ngunjuri came to take him hunting, Nginatuka showed them the wound. Unaware of his deceit
they went on their way. As soon as he had the camp to himself Ngintaka stole the grinding stone and the head ring
with which it is carried, and swallowed them for safekeeping. He made footprints in all direction to trick the
Nginjuri men and then changed himself into a small lizard, stepping lightly on the stones so that his footprints
could not be seen and travelled until he was many miles distant. As a final precaution, he made a heavy rain with
his ringili, (pearl shell) to blot out any tracks he may have left behind. After he changed himself back to his
original form and set out on the five hundred miles journey to the Mann ranges for he was anxious to show his
treasure to his people.

The Nginjuri men prepared to capture and kill the thief but they became thoroughly confused, for although his
footprints led in all directions, they always ended up in the centre of the camp. They had almost given up except
Ninjuri man returning from the west had seen where Ngintaka had walked across a patch of wet ground, so they set
out again. Meanwhile Ngintaka had reached the Mann ranges. He looked around to see if he was being followed. At
Wankaringka, as he could see no one, he disgorged the ill-gotten grinding stone and head ring. Thinking he was
safe, and hungry from his long journey, he then ate so many mistletoe berries they gave him a severe stomach
ache. Further west he tried out the grinding stone and he was so pleased he made a larger damper than was required.


When Ngintaka reached camp everyone sang his praises. After some time, believing that his ruse to cover his
tracks had been successful, Ngintaka left the grinding stone near the Arana water hole when he went out hunting.
One day returning home he heard the sound of Nginjuri men jumping on the grinding stone and breaking it to
pieces. He rushed to avenge its destruction only to be met by a number of armed men. He ran up the hill to escape,
but his enemies followed, fixed him with several spears and killed him. Tiger explained that the white dots
currounding the Ngintaka in this painting represent mai, or food. The ‘u’ shape on the brown background are a
wati (man) and minima (woman). The white outlines surrounding them indicate that they are in a wiltja (shelter).
Traditional Wiltja were either made from branches, or were simply a rock ledge. Tiger said that the white dots and
dashes surrounding them represent maku (witchetty grubs), a traditional food. The green circles around the outside
of the painting are kapi tjukula, or rockholes.