artist –Ursula Napangardi

community – Central & Western Desert 

title: Pikilyi Jukurrpa (Vaughan Springs Dreaming)

year painted:  2025

dimensions: 30 x 30cm
medium: Acrylic on canvas

stretched? : yes

note re colour:  the turquoise colour in this painting is lighter than it appears in the image (despite repeat attempts to accurately capture the colour).

about this painting: Pikilyi is a large and important waterhole and natural spring near Mount Doreen station. Pikilyi Jukurrpa (Vaughan Springs Dreaming) tells of the home of two rainbow serpents, ancestral heroes who lived together as man and wife. The woman ‘rainbow serpent’ was of the Napanangka skin group, the man was a Japangardi. This was a taboo relationship contrary to Warlpiri religious law. Women of the Napanangka and Napangardi subsection sat by the two serpents, picking lice off them. For this service, the two serpents allowed the women to take water from the springs at Pikilyi. This was because the serpents were the ‘kirda’, or ceremonial owners, for that country. The spirits of these two rainbow serpents are still at Pikilyi today. This Dreamings belongs to the women and men of the Japanangka/Napanangka and Japangardi/Napangardi skin groups.

This artwork can be viewed at our Sydney gallery.

View all artworks by Ursula Napangardi Hudson.