WOMEN GATHERING AT THE ROCKHOLE SITE OF UMARI, 2001
Tjunkiya Napaltjarri
synthetic polymer paint on linen
122.0 x 152.5 cm
inscribed verso: artist's name, size, Papunya Tula Artists cat. TN0110065
Papunya Tula Artists, Alice Springs
The Collection of William and Lucy Mora, Melbourne
This painting is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from Papunya Tula Artists, Alice Springs, which reads: 'This painting depicts designs associated with the rockhole site of Umari, situated in sandhill country, east of Mt Webb in Western Australia. The lines in the painting represent the sandhills surrounding the site. A number of women gathered at the site to perform ceremonies. The women, one of the Nangala kinship subsection and the others of the Napaltjarri kinship subsection, later travelled towards the east. One of the mythologies associated with the area concerns a relationship between man of the Tjakamarra kinship subsection and a woman of the Nangala kinship subsection. This is a mother-in-law relationship which is very taboo in Aboriginal culture.'