That hill near my Father’s Country. Near Jarra Jarra. You know them two men who killed that devil devil, that cannibal man, that’s the same men from that hill. Japaljarri and Jungarrayi. They live at that hill. One day they walked away from there and they found a man’s finger. One man said “someone has been here. Must be devil man, cannibal, eating people” and so they walked from that hill, out west, out near Wilowra creek, north and west. Out on that desert county, sand hill and desert. Then they kept going and found a fire, fresh one, smoke still burning. And they knew they had found where that same man, the cannibal man, where he was staying. And so they waited and he came back. They came at him from both sides and they killed him with a spear.
Ned Kelly Jungarrayi is a senior Kaytetye and Warlpiri man who was born at Wauchope in 1944. Ned grew up between Wauchope, Kurundi and Hatches Creek before moving to Ali Curung, then Warrabri, in the 1950s. Though Mr Kelly had painted in Ampilatwatja in the past, he took up painting in Ali Curung in 2024, at the age of 79. Mr Kelly’s work tells dreaming stories relating to his Country, Jarra Jarra, and the surrounding area. He is a skilled storyteller which translates across his landsdcape paintings and abstracts which employ the visual language of sand painting.
Desert Mob is presented annually in Mparntwe | Alice Springs on Arrernte Country.
On behalf of Desart’s staff and art centre members, the Executive Committee humbly and respectfully acknowledge the Arrernte Apmereke Artweye (Traditional Owners) and Kwertengerle (Traditional Managers) of Mparntwe.
Desart respectfully advises Aboriginal readers that this website may contain names, images and artworks of people who have passed away.
