Description

The iconography in this painting relates to a sacred water area in the Tanami Desert which is Walpari country. The wide U shapes at the top and bottom of the work suggests the presence of a person or people but in this case are actually wind-breaks. These shield the ceremonial participants within the breaks from the wind and also the view of women and children as the ceremony shown here relates to secret men’s business.

Three dominant central circles represent particular sacred places which are joined by motifs depicting water and lightning travelling from one place to another. The main activity is taking place at the centre of the piece and is accentuated by the two larger sets of lightning bars to each side of the roundel.

All this rests on a backdrop of concentric circles which further alludes to the presence of water