About this artwork

This painting depicts the Pamapardu Jukurrpa (Flying Ant Dreaming) from Warntungurr, west of Yuendumu. ‘Pamapardu’ is the Warlpiri name for the flying ants or termites that build earth mound anthills (mingkirri) found throughout Warlpiri country in the Tanami area. This country belongs to the Nakamarra/Napurrurla women and Jakamarra/Jupurrurla men. When heavy rains come in summer, the ‘mingkirri’ get flooded out, so the ‘pamapardu’ grow wings and fly off to make new homes, following their queens to dry mounds or to build anew. When they have found their new home, they drop their wings. In this stage, they can be collected, lightly cooked in coals and eaten, they are nice and sweet. In contemporary Warlpiri paintings, traditional iconography is used to represent the Jukurrpa, particular sites and other elements. When this Jukurrpa story is painted, concentric circles are used to represent the ‘mingkirri’ and the rockholes involved in the story, including the central one at Wapurtali (Mt Singleton). Dashes are often depicted around the circles to represent the ‘pamapardu’.