Janganpa Jukurrpa

$6,600.00

Janganpa (Common brush-tail possum) Jukurrpa travels all over Warlpiri Country. Janganpa are nocturnal animals that often nest in the hollows of wapunungka (white gum) trees. This story comes from a big hill called Mawurrji, west of Yuendumu and north of Pikilyi (Vaughan Springs). A group of janganpa ancestors resided there. Every night they would go out in search of food. Their hunting trips took them to Wirlki and Wanapirdi, where they found pamapardu (flying ants). They journeyed on to Ngarlkirdipini looking for water. A Nampijinpa women was living at Mawurrji with her two daughters. She gave her daughters in marriage to a Jupurrurla janganpa but later decided to run away with them. The Jupurrurla angrily pursued the women. He tracked them to Mawurrji where he killed them with a stone axe. Their bodies are now rocks at this place.