Wati Kutjarra

$2,600.00

These two men are always together, always camping together. They do all sorts of tricks when they travel across the lands as they stop from place to place. When they reached Wirtapi Wara (Long Black or Blackstone Range) they argued about which way to go around. One went around the south side and the other the north side.

At a distance it seemed they didn’t recognise each other or perhaps they were just pretending not to recognise each other! It is also said that at Papulankutja they tricked each other by changing their appearance at the same time so they had no chance to recognise each other. The name Papulankutja comes from the Ngaanyatjarra word meaning, ‘to stare without recognising each other.

This is the story of two powerful magicians who came to the Ngaanyatjarra Lands from far away to the west.

Janet Forbes was born in the Warburton area. Her father, Nyunma came from Tawulbalyana and was a famous traditional owner for the region around Papulankutja. Her mother, Yuminiya was from Waltjatjarra country on the other side (south) of the Blackstone Ranges.

Janet was a co-founder of the original Papulankutja Women’s Centre. In the early days she made batik, like the women at centres in the APY Lands where it had started. Janet learnt to make baskets from her older sister, Ruby Reid and was taught how to make punu (wooden artifacts) by her mother. Janet also makes sculptural forms with Tjanpi Desert Weavers. Janet started painting in 2003 at the newly established Papulankutja Artists, originally based at the Women’s Centre.