Deutscher and Hackett

My Country, My Sites: paintings by major artists from Papunya Tula, Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi in association with Papunya Tula Artists and Melbourne Festival, Melbourne, 29 September – 7 November 1998

This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from Papunya Tula Artists, Alice Springs which states: ‘This painting depicts designs associated with the site of Piwalku, a large swampy area with soakage water, on the eastern side of Lake Mackay. In mythological times a Snake Ancestor came to this site from Karrinyarra (Mt. Wedge) in the east. On arriving at Piwalku it went underground. This mythology forms part of the Tingari Cycle. Since events associated with the Tingari Cycle are of a secret nature no further detail was given. Generally, the Tingari are a group of mythical characters of the Dreaming who travelled over vast stretches of the country, performing rituals and creating and shaping particular sites. The Tingari Men were usually followed by Tingari Women and accompanies by novices and their travels and adventures are enshrined in a number of song cycles. These mythologies from part of the teachings of the post initiatory youths today as well as providing explanations for contemporary customs.’