MARIANNE BURTON

Marianne was born in Jigalong, moving briefly to Camp 61, an outstation on Bilanooka Station as a child, before settling in Punmu Community, where she still resides Her father was senior Martu artist Pukina Burton Marianne and her father used to sit down together, painting while Pukina told stories about his Country. One day Marianne would like to teach her children and grandchildren the same stories; “Me and [my granddaughter] Azaniah like painting together, sometimes she helps me too. Sometimes my grandson Jake too, he did a couple I like having my family around to paint”

Yalta is a waterhole located between the Great Sandy Desert's Percival Lakes region and Kunawarritji Aboriginal community This site was visited by the Ngayurnangalku (cannibals) during the Jukurrpa (Dreaming) These fearsome ancestral cannibal beings are said to resemble people in their appearance except for their fangs and long curved knife like fingernails they use to catch and hold their human victims The Ngayurnangalku continue to live beneath the crust of Kumpupirntily (Kumpupintily Lake Disappointment) south east of Yalta.

Yalta lies within Marianne’s ngurra (home Country camp) through her grandmother and mother The site is especially significant to her as it was here that her mother was born

This is my grandmother’s and mother's Country, Yalta. It’s very close to Kunawarritji side. I’ve never been there. That was where my mother was born during the pujiman (traditional, desert dwelling) times. All the tali (sandhills) around. I want to go there one day, to see that Country, I might go there one day.

Punmu refers to a region and an Aboriginal community within its vicinity located 670 kilometres North-East of Newman. Created during the return to Country movement of the 1980s , with the recognition of Martu land rights and native title the community was named after a nearby Jukurrpa (Dreaming) story

Punmu Aboriginal community sits on the edge of a large salt lake known as Nyayartakujarra or Lake Dora The lake runs south into Karlamilyi River (Rudall River) Surrounding Punmu are numerous fresh water soaks and the red tali (sandhills) typical of the area The most frequently visited yinta (permanent springs) around Punmu include Wirlarra , Rawa , Yilyara, Jila-jila and Tuu-tuu

The Country around Punmu features in several Jukurrpa stories. Of particular importance is the story of the Jila Kujarra (Two Snakes), one of the key Jukurrpa narratives for the Martu Though the story belongs to Warnman people it is shared across the Western Desert with several other language groups The narrative centres on the travels of two snakes as they are pursued by the Niminjarra spiritual ancestors of the Warnman people

Before transforming themselves into snakes , the Jila Kujarra were young brothers As snakes they began travelling home to their mother , but were intercepted by the Niminjarra, who tracked the Jila Kujarra to Paji, east of Nyayartakujarra (Lake Dora)

Though the Jila Kujarra eluded their pursuers here by escaping under the lake at Paji, they were soon after speared and injured by two Pukurti (initiates with bundled hair) at Nyayartakujarra, who returned with the Niminjarra to cook the snakes at the site of Kumpupirntily (Kumpupintily Lake Disappointment)

As the Niminjarra cut down the length of the Jila Kujarra, the snake’s bladders were pierced, causing an explosion of scalding hot urine in which the Niminjarra all perished and became black rocks at the site

The spirits of the Jila Kujarra returned to their mother at Nyayartakujarra, where the mother and her sons entered the ground below Nyayartakujarra and remain to this day

I was young, thirteen or something, when I came to Punmu. I like to paint around Punmu rockholes , springs. In the morning, sunset colours , that’s what I’m thinking about. In the plane looking down , I want to do a painting what I’m looking at , it looks nice. I want to do more painting like that. I like painting, it makes me feel good.