24 SM042
Samson Martin Japaljarri Ngarlu Jukurrpa - Love Story 2003
Etching: Sugar lift painting and aquatint on 2 plates 325x490mm, 560x760mm $650
Ngarlu is country belonging to the Anmatjerre language group south-east of Yuendumu. Ngarlu literally means
red rock. The Jukurrpa of this place tells of a Jungarrayi man, named Lilipinti travelling west to another country
for Kuridji, men’s ceremonial business. Jungarrayi, Japaljarri, Jupurrula and Jampijinpa men were travelling east
to Kurpurrulu On his travels he saw a Napngardi woman, who is his mother-in-law according to the Aboriginal
skin system and forbidden to him. Lintyipilinti watched the woman from where he sat whilst she was urinating.
He was so impressed with what he saw that he decided to woo her. His imprint has been left in the rocks, which
reminds the people of his thinking. Whilst he was sitting at Yumurruluwanu he spun some Wirriji (hair string)
and sung a love song. Jungarrayi was wearing jinjila (ceremonial adornment) around his arms and neck to look
attractive to her. He had weapons and a ngami (water carrier). Lilipintifi fell in love with her however, and when
he arrived back home to Ngarlu he couldn¹t stop thinking about her. A Jurlpu (bird) carried these loves songs
over to the Napangardi. The Jurlpu flew back with the Napangardi on his wings, to join with the Jungarrayi at
Ngarlu. The women of Ngarlu gossiped about this wrong-skin love union. These women turned into Miinypa,
native fuschia flowers, which are prevalent at Ngarlu today. When Lilipinti and his Napangardi made love, his
penis broke off in side of her and they both turned to stone. There is a rockhole at Ngarlu which shows the
place of their love-making. They are seen in the rocks at Ngarlu, a long water hole with a broken boulder reminds
the people of this union. Wapunungku, a big tree was crying, that tree is still there today. The kirda (owners)
for this Jukurrpa are Japaljarri and Jungarrayi men and Napaljarri and Nungarrayi women.

Medium: Lithograph
Edition Size: 99
Printer: Theo Tremblay
Studio: Editions Trembley NFP
Lithograph Created At: Ramingining, NT on May, 2002
Print Published: Darwin, NT on January, 2003
Paper: Magnani Pescia 300gsm
Paper Height: 560 mm ( 22.0" )
Paper Width: 760 mm ( 29.9" )
Image Height: 325 mm ( 12.8" )
Image Width: 490 mm ( 19.3" )
I.D. : SM042