4 AM 5844/08
Paddy Japaljarri Stewart Ngarlu Jukurrpa (Love Dreaming) 2008
Acrylic on linen 760 x 610mm SOLD
The story of the Ngarlu Jukurrpa (Ngarlu Dreaming) is about a Jungarrayi man called Lintipilinti who lived at
Ngarlu, which means 'red rock', a country to the east of Yuendumu. Lintipilinti fell in love with a Napangardi
woman, a forbidden relationship under Warlpiri law, as the woman was his classifactory mother-in-law.
Lintipilinti fell in love with the Napangardi woman when he saw the large hole in the ground she made when she
urinated. Linipilinti was aroused by this. He began to wonder how he could woo the Napangardi. He went to
Ngarlu and made hair string for her, singing as he worked. The Napangardi woman could not sleep and began
to feel sick. She realised that someone was singing 'yilpinji' (love songs) for her. A little bird visited the
Napangardi woman every day. The little bird was taking the Jungarrayi's love songs to her. The force of the
Jungarrayi's love songs pulled the Napangardi woman to Lintipilinti. When the two met again they made love
but were turned to stone, as their relationship was taboo according to Warlpiri religious law. The two can still
be seen, as two rocks, at Ngarlu today. During the course of these events the women from Ngarlu who
gossiped about the wrong skin love union turned into 'miinypa' (native fchsia [Eromophila spp.]). These are
plants with small red flowers that have honey inside them that are delicious to eat, tasting like icecream. Ngarlu
is a sacred place where 'miinypa' or 'yanyirlingi' are still commonly found today.