Old Papunya Men & other works

12 AM 3925/06
Denis Nelson Tjakamarra Water Dreaming at Kalipinpa 2000
Acrylic on linen 840 x 1220mm $5000
Painted in 2000, Papunya

This painting depicts an important rain making ceremony performed at Kalipinpa. It is a powerful thunderstorm
creating lightning and rain. The concentric circle symbolizes the water hole where the water builds and then flows
throughout the landscape represented by the curving lines, promoting new growth. The man is the custodian of
the water hole and is chasing away the naughty boys. The background represents ceremonial body paint, country
and the elements of the thunderstorm. Denis paints this dreaming from his father, the late Johnny Warrangkula.
These ceremonies are an important and vital part of aboriginal life.

Denis Nelson Tjakamarra is a Loritja tribesman born c1964. Denis is the son of the late and renown aboriginal
artist Johnny Warrungkula Tjupurrula, who was among the first of aboriginal men to paint their dreaming stories
on canvas in the early 1970’s in Papunya with Geoffrey Bardon. Denis has been painting since the late 1980’s.
He paints emu and water dreamings from his country around Kalipinpa (about 200kms north west of Papunya) as
well as the dreamings his father passed onto him. Denis speaks very good English and has previously worked as a
teacher at the Papunya school for a number of years helping to overcome the language barrier for the children.
He says he enjoys painting, representing his traditional beliefs and keeping his father’s stories alive.