12 AM 4013/06
Shorty Jangala Robertson Ngapa Jukurrpa (Water Dreaming) 2006
Acrylic on Belgian linen 460 x 760mm $1700
The site depicted in this painting is Puyurru, west of Yuendumu. In the usually dry creek bed are the water
soakages or naturally occurring wells. Two Jangala men, rainmakers, sang the rain, unleashing a giant storm. It
travelled across the country, lightning striking the land. This storm met up with a storm from Wapurtali, to the
west. It was picked up by a bird and carried it further west until the load became too heavy for it to bear and it
dropped that storm at Purlungyanu, where it created a giant soakage. At Puyurru the bird dug up a giant snake,
Wanayarra, the snake carried water with it and created a giant lake, Jillyiumpa. There is an outstation there that
Shorty's family lives at today. In this painting the artist has used straight lines to represent the ngawarra (flood
waters) running through the landscape and the bars joining the long lines represent mangkurdu (clouds).